Wraith
by Gammabeta99
Summary: It was the day after initiation, team RWBY and JNPR successfully formed and have a bright future ahead of them. But out of the darkness between world comes a threat that gods and men will tremble before, a man that holds such power that even the mightiest could be swept aside. The Lord of Hunger, the Wraith... the flayed man... all will tremble before him.
1. The Lord of Hunger

Wraith

Chapter One

Beta: Smithrooks

The Lord of Hunger

Beacon had always been a special place.

For nearly a thousand years a mighty fortress had stood where the school was now, but the castle had been laid low in the tail end of the Faunus War. The once grand structure had been reduced to little more than charred rubble and scattered ash, a testament to the destructive powers of mankind.

To the people of the world, the destruction of the oldest intact structure had been a tragedy, a saddening loss. But still something they could recover from in due time.

To the leaders of the world, this caused absolute chaos.

With the resolution to build huntsman academies across the world, the leaders of Vale reconstructed the fortress of Beacon post-haste. The leaders of the kingdom swiftly congratulated themselves on their choice as well; after all, they now had a good reason to keep the greatest hunters in the kingdom centered at the school, a perfect cover for the real reason behind the fortress.

Not to train the next generation, that was just an added bonus.

The real reason was because of the threat that this location posed to the rest of the world.

Beacon was built on the Rift.

The Rift had been studied for as long as mankind was aware of it; there were hundreds of theories trying to explain its existence. Some scientists called it a weak point, others called it the nexus. Regardless of titles, they all agreed that the location was both the single most dangerous, and exceptional location on all of Remnant. The reason behind this was simple: sometimes… things... came out.

The current leading theory was that the Rift led to a different dimension.

Things would appear in a flash of brilliant violet light, objects that defied all reason and explanation. Modern science had advanced in leaps and bounds by studying whatever came through. Mecha-shift weaponry was created after a half-melted sword appeared, nearly a decade before the Faunus Wars. Scrolls had been designed, and later mass-produced, from a near shattered tablet-like device. The aircraft had been invented nearly two centuries prior due to a broken wreck crashing into the castle in a haze of violet light.

But not all that came from the Rift aided mankind.

Hundreds of years prior to the Faunus War, a deadly plague had infested the world, millions of people dying horrible deaths ridden with disease. The infection appeared just days after the Rift had spat out a glowing chunk of rock, and humanity had only narrowly survived the plague.

From then onwards, the Rift had been treated like a double-edged sword. It could bring either great prosperity to the world… or it could bring damnation and suffering.

But never in the entire history of Vale had a _person_ ever come through the Rift… until today that was.

Today, five people came through.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day.**

It was the day after initiation, and all was calm and peaceful throughout the school. Students were attending their first lessons of the year, and teachers were lamenting the end of their holiday.

But it was… peaceful.

Headmaster Ozpin was mulling over the situation with Amber, the current Fall Maiden. Or more accurately, _half_ the current Fall Maiden.

With the aid of Qrow, they had been able to sneak the broken shell of a girl into the school. The ruined girl was now situated in the basement of the school, close to where the Rift was.

 _How could this have happened?_ Ozpin wondered to himself. The Maidens were nigh unstoppable, so how could Amber be beaten so easily? And if what Qrow said was true, how could Amber have been beaten by only _three_ people? The Maidens could literally bend the environment around them to their will, without the aid of any kind of dust.

Amber may have been young, just barely 22, but her powers weren't exactly feeble. She had only been the Maiden for about six months before the attack happened, yet to actually master the full world-bending abilities offered by the Wizard so long ago… but she was skilled in her own right.

Even now, far above where Amber was currently resting Ozpin could feel her. He could rage and scream in a vain attempt to reach out and crush the shadow that had destroyed the Maiden… but she was so much less now than she used to be. Amber was now more than half a machine; she was like a painter gone blind, a composer gone deaf. Very distantly, Ozpin could feel the other half of the power, far away from him and all of Beacon. But the power Amber could now touch was only a memory, a fraction of the soul that was once hers.

Ozpin was no fool; he knew that the machines that kept her alive were a short-term fix at best. Even if he were to locate the being that had stolen the power and defeat it, Amber would never be whole again; her body was dying a slow and drawn-out death… all because she had her soul ripped out.

Was this what mankind had come to? Savage beasts that clawed for whatever scraps of power they could? When had they become so complacent, that the Grimm became a secondary threat compared to the evils wrought by mankind?

If only it didn't have to be like this…

If only…

A sudden, piercing wail rang out through the room, snapping the aged headmaster out of his ruminations.

Ozpin could only pale and let out a shaky breath as the sound began. He knew what it was; every headmaster of Beacon had been trained and drilled for this situation.

Something had arrived through the Rift.

With all the considerable speed that the aged headmaster could muster, he darted towards the elevator. He needed to get down to the school's basement quickly and ensure that whatever had come through was properly contained, and could do no damage to what remained of the Fall Maiden.

The elevator doors closed, and he began riding the car downwards. The lift felt agonizingly slow compared to the frantic pumping of his own, aged heart.

Ozpin forced himself to take a deep breath, calming his somewhat frayed nerves. As the elevator descended further, he quickly snatched his scroll out of his pocket and called Glynda; no doubt she would wish to be aware of the situation.

"Hello?" her pleasant voice intoned from the small device, "What is it, Ozpin? I am in the middle of teaching."

"We have a situation Glynda," he replied, his voice sounding like the epitome of calmness despite how he actually felt, "the Rift just opened, I'm on my way down now. Join me as soon as you can."

The other side of the call was silent for a moment, the younger huntress honestly surprised at the information. "... I understand headmaster, I will be there momentarily."

With that, the call ended.

The elevator came to a stop with a gentle _ding_ , and the doors opened to show the green-lit basement of Beacon. The long corridor stretched outwards for nearly twenty metres until it split off into two separate directions; the left leading to where Amber was currently housed, and the right to the secured and constantly monitored Rift.

Ozpin bolted towards the exit zone, his cane held firmly in hand.

As soon as he drew near the secured portal, he stopped dead.

Every headmaster of Beacon was expected to learn the full history of things that had passed through the nexus point beneath the school, and Ozpin was no exception. He knew every single object that had arrived in recorded history.

But that's all they had been… objects.

The… _man_... that currently paced around the containment chamber was no such object.

Ozpin could hardly believe his eyes, never before had anything _living_ passed through the Rift.

Although the creature before him may be living however, Ozpin would hardly call it a man.

The creature had skin that was so eerily pale and white that it was almost as if sunlight had never graced it. Its hair also bore the similar lack of colour, stark white lengths of hair that trailed down to its shoulders. Both of these stood in sharp contrast to the achingly _black_ robes the being wore. The robes seemed to draw light into it but never let any out… only the bare whiteness of its face and fingertips were visible under the heavy robe.

All of this Ozpin could accept; some people had odd fashion choices after all. But what really cemented the man before him as inhuman were its eyes, a sickly yellow that seemed to glare out like lasers and make the aged headmaster feel weary to his bones.

Whatever this thing was… it wasn't human.

Ozpin watched it pace around the containment chamber slowly, the sickly yellow eyes darting around wildly and a feral grin splitting its face.

Slowly, the headmaster drew closer to the transparent steel window that allowed him to see the creature. _Perhaps… perhaps it could understand me if I try to communicate with it?_ He thought to himself as he stared at the… man.

Mind made up, Ozpin pressed down on the intercom button. "Hello?" he asked softly, not wanting to startle the creature before him. "My name is-"

In less than the blink of an eye, the man appeared right up against the transparent steel window, his yellow eyes narrowing on Ozpin. "Headmaster Ozpin!" the creature cackled. "HAHA! Back again?! I saw your past headmaster, so much blood and death!" the creature screeched in delight, eyes alight with mad joy. "But now I know your future! Like her, like her…"

Ozpin pulled away from the window sharply. That was impossible, this creature… it couldn't _know him_ , could it? Surely that wasn't possible.

Seeing that it wasn't going to say anything else until he replied, Ozpin cautiously inched back to the intercom button and pressed it downwards. "You know me?" he asked, curiosity getting the better of him. "I don't recall ever meeting you before, Mr…"

The creature licked his pale lips, showing a very sharp looking set of teeth in doing so. "Know you!?" he cackled, eyes alight with amusement. "You were delicious! So old and wise! A soul shadowed in pain, but brightened by false hope! Such a tasty little morsel you were… like warm chocolate..."

Ozpin had absolutely nothing to say to that. What was the creature talking about? Had this thing… _eaten_ someone from wherever it came from? And it tasted like _chocolate_?

"I…" the headmaster started, unsure of what exactly he could say to that. "I'm afraid I don't catch your meaning…"

It was at exactly that moment when Glynda burst out from the elevator and dashed around the corner. "Ozpin, I came as soon as I could-" her words stopped dead in her mouth when her green eyes landed on the being on the other side of the containment chamber window.

"Oooh, the little witch is here too!" the pale man announced in delight, insane yellow eyes narrowing on the female professor. "She tasted so nice… like pineapple!"

"What… what is that?" Glynda demanded as she drew close to where Ozpin stood. "That… that couldn't have been what came through could it?"

"It is," Ozpin responded grimly as he eyed the pale man. "It… doesn't seem particularly sane."

Whatever Glynda was going to say next was cut off when the creature began speaking again, but this time it wasn't directed to either of the hunters.

"SHUT UP!" it roared in sudden fury as its head snapped to the side to glare at empty air. "MORE! I NEED MORE!"

Ozpin was quick to try and calm the being; not knowing the extent of its capabilities could lead to a very dangerous scenario if it escaped.

"Please," the headmaster said soothingly. "What is it you need? Perhaps we could acquire it for you."

The man's sickly yellow eyes leveled on Ozpin once again, and instantly the headmaster knew he had made a mistake.

"MORE POWER!" the beast screamed as its hands shot outwards and collided with the solid steel walls of the containment chamber. "I HUNGER!"

The metal bent outwards as soon as his fists collided with the steel, Ozpin barely had time to push himself backwards and out of the way before the entire wall shot outwards and crashed against the ground.

Instantly Ozpin and Glynda held their respective weapons at the ready, both hunters absolutely ready for whatever the creature intended to do.

But something was wrong. As the man stepped out of the now ruined containment chamber, a feral grin adorned his face.

Ozpin and Glynda collapsed to their knees, their strength leaving them in seconds as their auras were sucked away by an unseen force.

"Where I'm from, I have many names…" the creature said as it strode past them and towards the other side of the basement where Amber was currently being kept alive. "Such pretty little gifts people give me…"

Ozpin tried feebly to strike at the beast with his cane, but his aura was leaving him too quickly and the strike just bounced weakly off its robed leg.

"But most of them just call me the Lord of Hunger."

 _No…_ Ozpin thought weakly as the man neared the thick metal pod that housed Amber.

Slowly the robed beast ran his pale white hand down the glass, eyes alight with what Ozpin could only describe as _hunger._

A second later the metal door to the pod was torn away, leaving what remained of the Fall Maiden exposed to the self-proclaimed 'Lord of Hunger'.

The creature swooped down on the Maiden like a bird of prey, his yellow eyes dancing over the prone form of Amber like she were food to a starving man.

"Hahaha!" he cried as he slowly lowered his left hand to her heart, "I hope she tastes better than last time!"

But mere moments before his hand settled onto her chest, the room exploded in a haze of violet light. The creature reared back violently, screeching foul words and curses as four armour-clad figures stepped out of the glowing purple Rift.

The armoured beings were covered from head to toe in dull grey armour plating that showed absolutely no skin at all, thus leaving it impossible to determine gender and appearance. Each carried different weapons; one had shining golden gauntlets around the wrists, another had dual black swords attached to a long black ribbon that was wrapped around its owner's hand. A shining rapier was held aloft in the left hand of one of the other armoured beings, the weapon adorned with multiple chambers filled with dust.

In the last, and obviously the leader's, hands a long red scythe was gripped tightly, ready to cause damage at a moment's notice.

Even in the haze caused by the quick loss of his aura, Ozpin recognized the weapons of the armoured beings before him. But it wasn't possible; it shouldn't be possible… because those weapons belonged to the members of team RWBY… the team he had formed _yesterday_.

Unless… unless this was a different version of team RWBY. A version from wherever that… _thing_ had come from.

The creature spat and hissed at the armoured bodies before him, "I came to escape! To breathe! To EAT! You weren't meant to follow me, she promised that you wouldn't follow me…"

But the newcomers weren't here to listen to the delusional rants of the creature; all four of them raised their weapons and pointed them at the robed man threateningly. "Enough talk," came the heavily distorted voice of the scythe wielder. "Submit yourself to us, and you shall receive a quick and painless death."

The armoured fighter with the golden gauntlets snorted and spat, "Or don't, that would be more fun."

But the pale man was having none of this, his sickly yellow eyes blazed with fury and power as a sudden wind picked up in the room. Slowly, he began to hover as a hazy black mist oozed out of his robes. "Freedom, I just wanted freedom! Then hunger, always hunger. I WILL NOT RETURN! NEVER AGAIN WILL I GO BACK TO THE RAVENS!"

The walls of the basement shook as the stone and metal came loose under the tremendous power of the self-proclaimed 'lord'. But the armoured team was quick to respond, firing their weapons at the floating man.

The effect was minimal however, their attacks disintegrating to little more than ashes as soon as they drew near.

But the creature was angered; with one violent swing of his arms, golden lightning sprouted across his form and shot out towards his attackers. They all scattered and dodged just in the nick of time, but it was already too late. The man swung both his hands above his head, and the chamber they were in rumbled before the ceiling split open above them.

Ozpin could only watch in horror as the robed man rocketed upwards towards the surface, free to do whatever he wished to the world above them.

Glynda had long since passed out from the poisonous effect the creature had on their aura, she lay still and the only sign that she was alive was the gentle rise and fall of her chest.

But Ozpin could feel his aura returning very slowly; with the man gone, the sickening feeling of his aura being sucked away had left.

Slowly, Ozpin rose to his feet and looked over the armoured beings that were staring at him. "You wouldn't be professor Ozpin, would you?" the scythe wielder asked, voice distorted by the armour.

"That is my name," Ozpin answered, dearly hoping that these people were of a better disposition than the other visitor. "You came through the Rift, who are you?"

A short, unseen conversation went on with the four, using the radios built into their suits. But soon the leader slowly began removing her helmet, and Ozpin's suspicions were confirmed.

It was Ruby Rose.

An _older_ Ruby Rose.

She looked around 20 to 25, her face having lost all of its baby fat that the 15-year-old version of her still had. "My name is-"

"Ruby Rose," Ozpin interrupted. "Leader of team RWBY… the team that just finished initiation yesterday."

The older Ruby grinned as the others began taking off their helmets; all of them looked older and far more experienced than their current counterparts. "Yesterday, huh? I didn't realise that the Nexus would spit us out in the past."

"We have time for idle conversation later," the older Weiss hissed to Ruby before turning and regarding the headmaster, "we came here to stop a dangerous criminal, the… man that arrived before us."

Ozpin slowly gathered up Glynda in his arms as the girls were speaking to him, he needed to take her to the medical bay. He gestured to RWBY to follow him. "What was he?" he asked, "he was able to drain my aura within moments of breaking out of containment."

It was Blake that answered, "That was the Lord of Hunger," she said somberly. "But you might know him as Jaune Arc."

Ozpin almost tripped in shock.

* * *

 **Vale, many years ago.**

Jaune Arc boarded the giant airship with a grin on his face. He was going to Beacon. Beacon, the school of heroes, where hundreds of hunters had been trained to fight the forces of darkness and protect the people.

He was going there, he was going to be the next great hero.

Jaune could feel it in his bones.

He was going to be a hero.

 **A/N**

 **And so begins the tale of Jaune Arc in my new story.**

 **This story will be told in two different fronts: present day (which most of this chapter was) and many years ago, which I'm sure you've all realised is going to show how Jaune became the monster that he is in the present.**

 **I honestly don't expect people to really get into this much, but I hope that I can give a few people something pleasant to read.**

 **So please leave a review! Tell me what you like and what you don't, tell me what works and what doesn't.**


	2. I am a Master

Wraith

Chapter Two

Beta: Smithrooks

I am a Master

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

"Blerg!"

The vomit expelled from his stomach messily into the trashcan, the after effect of being on one of those dastardly airships. People stepped around him and avoided him like he had some terrible disease, and Jaune couldn't really blame them for it; who'd want to be around the guy that just chucked his breakfast up in an incredibly noisy fashion?

But he would change that! One day he was gonna be the greatest hero on Remnant, everyone was going to love him and admire him…

But obviously that day wasn't today.

A ringing explosion echoed out across the barren courtyard, and Jaune did what any sane person would do: hit the deck and cover your head, hoping that you don't die.

 _What am I doing?!_ The blonde boy questioned himself after a few moments of manly cowering, _if I'm going to be a hero then I can't be afraid like this! I need to go see if anyone needs my help!_

Mind made up, Jaune jumped to his feet and cautiously stepped towards where the explosion came from; weary of any danger, prepared to fight fearsome monsters and-

A gentle thump echoed out and Jaune nearly jumped out of his skin in fright, but after a quick glance around, Jaune determined that no one had seen his moment of terror. With his pride still intact, the blue-eyed boy stepped around the corner he'd totally _not_ been hiding behind to see a youngish-looking girl wearing black clothes and a red cape laying on the ground, looking dejected.

 _This is my chance to be suave!_ Jaune thought excitedly as he made his way over to her, plastering on what he hoped was a charming look on his face.

"Hey there," he said as he offered the girl a hand up, "need a hand?"

The girl looked up, and silver eyes met blue. With a small smile, she grabbed his hand and pulled herself up. "Thanks. I'm Ruby, Ruby Rose. What's your name?"

 _Time for my best pick up line!_ "The name's Jaune Arc. It's short, sweet, rolls right off the tongue and ladies love it!"

 _Damn I'm cool… as cool as a cucumber._

She giggled, a delicate, airy laugh that made Jaune feel light inside. "Do they?"

"W-well my mum does!" And there went all the cool he had, gone the way of his masculinity which his sisters had stolen years ago.

She laughed again, although this time it felt like it was more at his expense than with him. "Hey… aren't you that guy that threw up on the airship?" she asked, much to his chagrin.

"W-well… you can hardly talk!" he retorted lightly, no real heat behind his words. "You blew a hole in the front of the school!"

She glared at him cutely for a moment, but even someone as introverted as him could tell that it was playful, rather than a sign of anger. "Oh hush up, Vomit Boy."

 _Vomit Boy, huh? Well, two can play at that game!_ "Crater Face."

They held their respective glares for a moment before bursting out into laughter, both greatly amused by the little joke.

After the laughter died down, both teens had friendly smiles on their faces, pleased that they had made a friend so soon. "So…" Jaune said slowly as his eyes roamed across the empty courtyard. "I don't suppose you know where we're meant to be going? Everyone left in such a hurry."

Ruby blinked, her eyes widening slightly as she remembered that they had places to be. "I-I don't know! What if we're late?"

 _Fiddlesticks, where's a map when you need one?_ Jaune thought glumly as he and Ruby dashed away to try and find the entrance hall. _I'd really love a big red dot saying 'you are here'..._

But Jaune's worries were for naught; just as he was running out of breath and the ache of exertion in his legs became too much, they found the hall.

Jaune couldn't help but pant when the duo came to a stop. He liked to think he was fit and all… but _damn_ did Ruby keep an utterly punishing pace, and she wasn't even breathing hard at all! The girl looked like she was utterly unfazed by the dead sprint they had both just endured, what was she? Superhuman?

"Come on, Jaune!" she laughed with a playful slap on his shoulder, "stop goofing around! We're here now, just in time too."

Jaune tried to say something, he really did. But all that escaped his mouth was a strangled wheeze that sounded vaguely affirmative.

Ruby laughed again; obviously his suffering amused her so.

 _See who's laughing when I catch my breath…_

The silver-eyed girl began wandering into the hall, and Jaune, not wanting to be left alone, followed her in.

Dozens of prospective students milled about the large room, all of them carrying a weapon of some kind. Jaune couldn't help but feel slightly in awe of the people around him. They were all _hunters_.

 _And soon, I will be too._

Jaune was snapped out of his thoughts when Ruby suddenly slapped his arm and loudly said: "Oh hey, my sister saved me a seat! I gotta go, I'll see you later Jaune!"

And in a flash, she disappeared.

Literally.

Jaune couldn't help but let his jaw hang upon Ruby's sudden departure. _Who the hell could move that fast? That was insane!_

But Jaune was quickly broken out of his stupor when a grey-haired man with a green suit and a cane walked onto the stage. Instantly the entire hall grew quiet, all of them knowing that the man on the stage was important, and should be listened to.

"I'll… keep this brief."

Jaune couldn't help but shiver. That man's voice… it carried power.

"All of you have travelled here today in search of knowledge and power, to master your craft so you can devote your life to protecting the people of Remnant." The elder man paused, his eyes roving across the assembled teenagers that wished to join Beacon. "But all I see… are children. Children reaching for something they want, but do not have. Beacon is not a place for children, this is a school for warriors and hunters. It is up to _you_ to become an adult, it is up to _you_ what your destiny will be… all you need to do, is to take the first step."

 _Well that's not ominous at all, is it now…_

Jaune couldn't help but fidget, that speech was all well and good… but Jaune couldn't help but feel a little nervous. This place was a school for people that had trained for years to get here, but all he did was sneak out one night and steal his father's sword. These people were probably far above him in terms of skill and power.

"Initiation will be held at the cliffs tomorrow morning." Jaune hadn't even noticed the suited man leave the stage, but now there was an admittedly scary woman with blonde hair and glasses looking down on them all. "Tonight you will all sleep in the ballroom, be sure that you are completely prepared for tomorrow. You are all dismissed."

As the woman stepped off the stage, Jaune couldn't help but admire the power she radiated, the sheer strength and grace behind each step.

 _One day… I will be the most powerful hunter in the world._

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

Ozpin had deposited Glynda off at the medbay for treatment, and was currently in his office with the 'guests' that had appeared shortly after that… monster had arrived.

The four girls were seated comfortably in a couch on the far side of the room, as Ozpin restrained the urge to bash his head against the wall from speaking to the council. The three council members had been alerted to the Rift activity due to an automated system, and now that Ozpin had told them what exactly had happened… well the jarring rattle of several airships was a testament to the reaction of the politicians.

The vast majority of Vale's military had just arrived at Beacon, and were currently scouring the grounds and nearby forest for signs of the dangerous 'criminal' that had appeared. It was only by Ozpin's intervention that the other four girls hadn't been seized and taken away for questioning, something they had expressed their deep gratitude over.

"So… this creature is Jaune Arc, you say?" Ozpin questioned, trying to wrap his head around how the weak little Arc boy could possibly be so overwhelmingly powerful.

Weiss was the one that answered, her blue eyes staring out the window and roving over the assembled military forces outside the school. "No, that monster _used_ to be Jaune Arc. The boy behind the monster is long dead."

From behind Weiss, Ruby snorted in vague amusement, "Jaune Arc died when his semblance revealed itself, his mind destroyed by his hunger."

Ozpin was at a loss; what kind of semblance could do _that_ to a person? That thing wasn't even human anymore, it looked more like a _Grimm_ than a man. "What do you mean? What could have possibly happened to cause this?"

Blake's feline eyes regarded the headmaster, her form made all the more intimidating by the thick, black armour she and the others wore. "What the others say is true, Jaune is gone. But he is hardly the sole person to lay blame on."

Finally, Yang spoke, her voice hostile and venomous to an extreme that actually surprised Ozpin. "The Lord of Hunger is a _freak_ that feeds off the aura of others, consuming their very souls to sustain itself. Jaune Arc is a monster by every definition of the word."

Ozpin paled. A semblance that allowed the user to consume the auras of others? Surely that couldn't be possible, that would make this… _Lord of Hunger_ nigh unstoppable. "Feeding off others?" He questioned, feeling slightly faint. "Is… that what happened to Professor Goodwitch and I?"

Yang snorted, a bitter expression on her face. "That was only the passive effect of his semblance, to temporarily sap the aura of all those around him that aren't protected by _really_ thick walls, or special armour like what we have."

Blake picked up from Yang seamlessly, "From what we can tell, his semblance comes in two different stages. You experienced the passive stage; he was draining your aura, and as long as he has any of your aura in his system he will have access to your semblance, but once he runs out of your power he won't be able to use your semblance until he gets more."

Ozpin cringed; it was even worse than he thought. If that was the passive stage of his semblance, that must mean that there was something… much worse. "What happens when your aura is exhausted?" the elder man questioned.

"That depends on if he's starving or not," Ruby replied, "if he hasn't fed in a while, then he will drain you until you die… I'm actually pretty surprised that you and Professor Goodwitch are still alive; when he forced open a portal to this world, he exhausted himself pretty thoroughly." She paused for a moment, trying to think of her next few words. "But if he has fed recently then you're pretty safe. He'll still drain your aura, but it will recharge like normal once you get away from him."

Well _that_ was hardly reassuring. Just what kind of abomination were they dealing with? "I see…" he said slowly, trying to wrap his head around the idea. "And what of the rest of his semblance? You said he was only using it passively before."

It was Weiss that answered this time, a slight grimace on her face as she stared out the window. "To actively use his semblance he needs to put his hands on you… and if he does that, he sucks out your soul. _Permanently._ "

Permanently?! Forever divesting someone of aura and their very _soul_... this was dire news indeed. "Does… does he retain the aura for good?" he demanded. This situation was kingdom-shattering if he could… "Just how powerful is he?"

"He doesn't keep the power," Blake replied, her voice level. "The aura he steals is finite, once he's used it all up then it's gone forever… at least in most cases, anyway."

"A couple of years ago, we had him in prison," Yang explained, her voice bitter and resentful. "He had been captured and then shipped to the strongest prison Atlas had ever built, they wanted him for research purposes or something."

"He spent three years rotting away in Raven's Rock prison, the only prisoner in the entire facility," Weiss continued, her voice somewhat strained.

"But then some stupid _bitch_ went and tried to bust him out," Yang spat, her eyes a weak shade of red. "She wanted to recruit him for some dumbass plan she had to conquer the world, but the idiot just went and got herself killed."

Ozpin paled, they couldn't be talking about… _her_ ,could they? "What happened? What did she do?"

"She and two others broke into the prison, and Jaune, who hadn't fed in _three years_ ,gorged himself to his heart's content," Yang hissed, "but the difference this time was that the idiot woman was one of your precious _Maidens_."

"Impossible," Ozpin muttered, unsurprised that the girls knew about the Maidens. "The power of the Maidens is exclusively female in nature, no man can hold that strength."

"Correction," Weiss sighed, "no male was _meant_ that strength. He stole all the power she had, and it drove him utterly insane. Before he was imprisoned, Jaune was… still Jaune; too weak to fight against his own power, but still questionably sane."

"After that, he was driven into an absolute frenzy, screaming that he need the 'other half' and more power," Ruby sighed slowly as she looked over the military. "As I'm sure you can guess, he did eventually gain the rest of the power from the Fall Maiden, and shortly thereafter he broke into this dimension. We don't know why, though."

"We were tasked with following him through the tear he created, and to neutralize him at all costs, lest he return to our world."

Ozpin was silent, considering the situation before him. The crisis that he now faced was one of the most dire he could possibly think of, but what was the solution? How could this beast be stopped?

Before the aged headmaster could articulate his thoughts and opinions to the girls, the scroll on his desk screeched into life, the call going through automatically. "Ozpin!" the commander of the military forces tasked with hunting the Lord of Hunger shouted urgently, "we have reports coming in from the city, the freak is attacking people!"

Ozpin cursed inwardly; it seemed things were just getting worse… "Very well, I'm sending a team of huntresses to assist you."

He turned to the girls, his eyes hard behind his glasses. "Do what you must."

They nodded, resolute.

It was time to catch a monster.

 **A/N**

 **Yikes! Talk about an overpowered semblance!**

 **There is literally no hunter that would be able to stand up against Jaune with a semblance like that, as he would be able to drain them dry before they damaged him enough to hinder him at all. But bear in mind that despite how overwhelmingly powerful this makes Jaune… he is still mortal, and his ability only affects things with aura. So against a Grimm he has only the power stolen from others to fall back on.**

 **I was purposely pretty vague about what exactly turned Jaune into what he is now; the girls of RWBY don't know and don't particularly care anymore, they just see him as a monster that tears people's souls out and** _ **eats**_ **them. But fear not, the full history of Jaune will be explored step by step through the 'many years ago' segments.**

 **And before anyone comments, yes I know that what I wrote doesn't match what happened in canon. But I'm not going to waste my time rewriting the first few episodes of RWBY, so I changed things up a little. I need to stress that the events that are shown for the first half of this chapter are exactly the same as what happened in the current universe, the point of divergence hasn't actually been shown yet.**

 **So that aside let's look at the reviews:**

 **Toddem Mach:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Weird and good is my specialty, normal and bad are boring haha.**

 **Smithrooks:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I do rather enjoy a good flashback story myself, showing how a character came to be the way they are is especially fun if there is a massive personality difference - and showing the slow change.**

 **The Rift is an interesting plot point, and it will be explored further later hint hint.**

 **I look forward to writing how Jaune fell into madness haha.**

 **sandersonreader:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **All my stories use the multiverse theory, so if he kills the other Jaune nothing will happen. And you'll see.**

 **Nik41:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Haha to each their own I suppose. The armors used aren't really described beyond their colour (black) and it making it hard to distinguish between genders. I imagined a hissing kind of voice for the Lord of Hunger, but now that you mention it the voice of O'Malley does kinda fit.**

 **I hope this story will be suitably epic, I will try my hardest.**

 **Killjoy funny man:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I should certainly hope so.**

 **Tabris the 17th angle:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **While I have never seen nor read owari no seraph a quick google search showed me that your pretty much on point. The Lord of Hunger isn't really meant to look human anymore, more like a twisted parody of a human.**

 **Guest:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I try.**

 **Tobi14:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Well his sanity is rather questionable, but I suppose you'll just have to wait and see.**

* * *

 **So I got some pretty epic feedback from last chapter, I didn't think it would be that well received! Thank you to everyone who review or otherwise commented.**

 **Thank you all for reading, and please leave a review to tell me what you all think.**


	3. I am a Slave

Wraith

Chapter Three

Beta: Smithrooks

I am a Slave

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

Jaune yawned and stretched comfortably within his sleeping bag. His fluffy bunny onesie contorted comfortably around his body, the light blue fabric gracing his skin with its wonderful softness.

All around him, other teenagers were getting up and beginning to prepare themselves for the trials of the day ahead. On the far side of the room, Jaune could see Ruby yawning cutely as she too began to pull herself out of bed, her dark red hair ruffled and messy from the night's rest she had gotten.

Jaune stood, his back making an oh-so-relieving popping sound that soothed his nerves. Some things never change, after all, and why should they? Things were good as they were.

Ignoring the jealous looks people were sending him and his cosy onesie, Jaune made his way to the bathroom so he could change into his hoodie and armour. There were already a bunch of guys in there and they all looked rather… disgruntled by the earliness of the hour. But that didn't stop Jaune! He had made a friend yesterday, so he was going to make another today!

Sliding up close to a thin-looking boy that had an interesting-looking green mohawk, Jaune casually began to speak. "Hey there," the blonde boy said conversationally. "So… excited for initiation?"

The boy turned to look at him; his eyes were slightly glazed, and he was obviously not fully awake yet. "Um… yeah… initiation. Really looking forward to that, gonna kill me some Grimm…"

Grimm? That was worrying. Jaune had no training, he had just stolen the sword from home and run off to Beacon. Why on Remnant would they get them to fight Grimm so soon? Weren't they here to learn how to fight Grimm? Like… _before_ they actually had to fight them…

"Y-yeah, gonna get some Grimm…" Jaune replied weakly. Oh gods, he was totally screwed…

The thin green-haired boy ambled away before Jaune could say anything else, no doubt in search of the nearest source of caffeine. Jaune continued putting on his hoodie and armour, all the while feeling crushing despair; he had never even seen a Grimm before, how the hell was he meant to fight one?

 _No!_ He cried out in his mind, banishing the negative thoughts. _Today is going to be great, I just know it!_

With a new spring in his step, Jaune set out towards where he hoped the cafeteria was. With his trusty nose as a guide, Jaune followed the heavenly smell of coffee and pancakes until he came upon a large room with rows of tables, and about a hundred prospective students. Again using his trusty nose, Jaune found himself marching towards where the food was served.

Before Jaune knew it, he was seated at an empty table wolfing down a bowl of his favourite cereal: Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes. Nothing could beat a strong, healthy breakfast of the flaky goodness of Pumpkin Pete.

Or so his mother told him anyway.

All too soon his bowl was empty, and with that came the depressing realisation that it was now time to get up and actually prepare for initiation.

Jaune idly deposited his bowl in the appropriate place as he made his way towards the locker bay, where he had stored his stolen sword yesterday. He didn't exactly recall the number of the locker he had used, but that was okay because he had thought ahead. After a few moments of rummaging around in his pockets, the blonde boy managed retrieve a small piece of paper.

Elation and excitement soon became confusion and despair when he read out his locker number.

 _636?!_ He cried out mentally, _surely I would remember having to count so high! Oh_ , _this is just my luck…_

Jaune spent a few minutes searching for his locker, but the effort was quickly proven moot when he caught no sign of the elusive locker.

But that was okay; his attention was suddenly captured by something that seemed far, far more important to his teenage mind.

An absolutely _gorgeous_ white haired girl, who was standing and talking to a rather tall-looking redhead. He couldn't quite see all of the beautiful girl's face, but what he did see left him mesmerized. Who knew such beauty existed in the world?

Without even realising it, Jaune made his way over to the girl and started speaking. "Hey there, Snow Angel," he greeted, in what was no doubt the most suave voice imaginable. "The name's Jaune Arc; it's short, sweet and ladies love it."

The girl turned to face him, icy blue eyes regarding him with what he could only assume was adoration. Damn, his opening move was good. He'd have to thank his father for the advice he gave him.

"What did you just call me?" she demanded in a tone that honestly surprised him; where was the amusement? "My name is Weiss Schnee, you would do well to remember your betters."

Betters? Oh! She was one of those aggressive types. "Well, Snow Angel," the Arc started, forgoing the use of her name in favour of the cute nickname he had thought up. "I hear that teams are going to be decided soon. I was thinking that you and me would make a good one."

Ice blue eyes narrowed dangerously, but Jaune didn't care. His flirtations must be working! Soon he would have a girlfriend! "You… you dare?" she hissed slowly. "I am Weiss Schnee, I will not be spoken to like that! You should feel lucky that I am even allowing you to speak to me! Now begone! Pester me no more!"

Oh, she wanted to play at that game, did she? To pretend that she wasn't interested, well he could play at that too!

He turned to the red-haired girl that had been silent up until now, idly noting her intense green eyes before he began speaking. "And what about you? Would you like to be on Team Jaune? I'm sure I could find an available spot for you…?"

The girl looked visibly startled for a moment, as if she were surprised that he didn't mention her name. She opened her mouth to speak, but was soon cut off when Snow Angel barked sharply, "Do you have any idea who you're speaking to?"

Jaune glanced at the other girl; she smiled and waved. "Nope, no idea. Should I?"

Weiss waved her hands in apparent aggravation, although Jaune had no idea what could have caused it. "That's Pyrrha Nikos!" she yelled, as if that explained everything.

Should Jaune know that is? He supposed she _did_ look vaguely familiar, but nothing notable came to mind. "I'm sorry, who?"

"She won the Mistral regional tournament four times in a row, a new record!"

Nope, nothing. His lack of understanding must have shown on his face, because Weiss continued, her arms waving and face growing slightly red. "She graduated the top of her class at Sanctum!"

"Sanctum… nope, never heard of it," he replied with what he hoped was a smooth grin on his face. "Good for her, I suppose?"

Weiss' voice reached a new volume, making a few sets of eyes from around the room turn to look at them. "She's on the cover of every Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes box!"

"That's you?!" Jaune cried his surprise and joy; his sisters would be so jealous of him if they knew about this. But elation soon turned to crushing despair; someone like her wouldn't want to be on a team with him… "I suppose you wouldn't want to be on my team then…"

But a soothing voice stopped him, "Actually Jaune, I think you would make a great leader!"

Jaune blushed a deep crimson, "Oh, stop it!" he exclaimed with a smile, not wanting her to stop.

"Yes," Weiss agreed, "stop that. Don't encourage him, Pyrrha."

Jaune turned to Weiss once more, his blue eyes alight, "Well, Snow Angel, the spots on Team Jaune are filling up quickly. Best to get in now before it's all taken up!"

Weiss just sighed, her brow creasing as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Pyrrha, if you would?"

Before Jaune knew what was happening, he found himself speared to a locker on the far side of the room.

An upwards glance showed that a red and bronze spear was the culprit, also revealing the number of the locker he was currently speared to: _636_.

Weiss and Pyrrha casually walked past where Jaune hung suspended to the metal locker; Jaune soon tumbled to the ground when Pyrrha effortlessly plucked the spear out. "Sorry!" she said, with a kind smile on her face.

Jaune couldn't help but grin. Today was turning out _great_.

* * *

 **Vale, present day...**

Vale was in chaos. Helpless civilians lay withered on the ground as the black-robed man walked through the city. As he drew near, bodies became shrivelled husks devoid of life, but the beast didn't care; he just laughed.

This was the sight that greeted the Vale military and hunter squadrons when they confronted the pale man in the city square.

Bullheads hovered overhead and hunter teams surged into the open area; all had their weapons pointing at the man below. "Submit yourself to us!" one particularly bold hunter demanded as he stepped closer to the robed man.

Sickly yellow eyes focused on the hunter, a cheshire grin splitting across a pale face. "HAHA! I am hungry! And I won't return to the Ravens! NEVER!"

The hunter fell to his knees, an unseen force sucking away his aura. He cried out weakly for help, but none came; in a few short moments he passed out, and slowly began withering away until he was no more.

The Lord of Hunger laughed harder, deep amusement splitting his face. His arms spread out wide as the unseeing yellow eyes focused on the glowing energies of the assembled forces sent to stop him.

But just moments before he made his move, a new Bullhead swooped in. Four heavily armoured figures leapt out of the craft, and landed on the paved ground with a thump. But the robed man just cackled with laughter upon the sight of his greatest friends. "It's true!" he shouted as he waved his hands around. "This place, this WORLD is real! All itty bitty little morsels for me…!"

One of the armoured beings stepped forward, her crimson scythe held ready in her hands. "No, Jaune! You will no longer contaminate the world of Remnant; make peace with your maker, you shall be seeing him soon!"

Black haze seemed to spread around the legs of the beast, and he slowly rose into the air, seemingly held aloft by the darkness that surrounded him. "Jaune?" he questioned, "JAUNE? No! I am **Nihilus**!"

The sky seemed to split apart, what had previously been a clear and sunny day becoming cloudy and storm-ridden in moments, as rain and lightning pelted downwards to the assembled forces of Vale below. The Bullheads which had been so diligently hovering overhead with their weapons trained on the criminal shook and crashed over the city, their occupants dying a painful death.

The four armoured hunters of team RWBY scattered to avoid the lightning that smashed into the ground. The Lord of Hunger, or Nihilus, whatever he called himself, floated far above them in the air, his twisted laughter seeping into their bones and chilling their souls. But they were undeterred; even as they scattered, they fired their weapons at the robed beast.

The dust rounds just washed off the beast, the power granted by the Fall Maiden sustaining him and feeding his madness. "I exist through my need, to self-oblige!" he screamed over the howling winds, his voice carrying throughout Vale, "She is something in me, that I despise! She won't stop! She won't silence! I WILL BE FREE!"

Finally, he was blasted out of the sky when a colossal glowing white knight summoned by Weiss slammed into him with all the force of a tank. But he only laughed as concrete shattered when he hit the ground, his sickly yellow eyes narrowing on the aura construct like a starving man seeing food.

Too late, Weiss realised her mistake. The pale hands of Nihilus closed around the blade of the knight as it swung at him, and her previously inaccessible aura began to drain away.

The armoured figure of Weiss began to collapse in shock as her aura was permanently removed from her body, but she was extremely lucky because in less than a second, Ruby came to her rescue and slammed her scythe into Jaune with all the force she could muster.

The white-haired beast was thrown backwards and away from the towering white knight, which dissolved the moment he let go.

Blake was at Weiss' side as the Schnee girl struggled to stay awake. The Faunus girl quickly checked her fallen teammates' aura levels, and tried to stabilize her while Yang and Ruby faced off against the monster.

"You'll pay for that!" Yang screamed in fury as she glared from underneath her helmet, longing to dash forwards and smash his face, but knowing that it would end poorly without a proper plan.

"Just a single drop…" Nihilus said slowly, a grin in place. "All I need is a single drop, and I understand… I UNDERSTAND!"

A spinning white Schnee glyph appeared on the ground before Jaune, his grin only slightly strained as he used up the aura stolen from Weiss.

The girls paled upon seeing the glyph; it was a summoning circle. What manner of beast would he set upon Vale now?

A thin, dainty hand emerged from the spinning glyph. Soon, the hand was followed by the form of a woman that had long ago been a raven haired beauty with amber eyes, but was now little more than a slave to the whims of the man that had killed her.

"Kill them," Nihilus whispered, "Let them _burn_."

The construct didn't say anything; it just fed off the power of its creator as burning, red-hot flames spewed forth from its mouth and hands.

RWBY shared a glance. That was…

"Cinder," the black-cloaked lord whispered, sickly yellow eyes focusing solely on his own creation. "Burn them _all…_ "

 **A/N**

 **Words don't quite describe how much I** _ **hate**_ **writing Jaune the way I did for the first half of this chapter. I can't stand guys that act like him, the air headed idiots are just wastes of space in my mind. It was a great struggle to just to get that out, I try to only write characters that I can understand or empathise with. Jaune is not such a character. He is just** _ **weak**_ **in every sense of the word.**

 **Okay, mini rant over.**

 **Moving on to the far more entertaining things to write, let's talk about what happened in the second half of the chapter. Jaune is an obscenely overpowered villain, if that wasn't clear before then I hope it is now. He has all the powers of the Fall Maiden as well as a much looser temperament than Cinder ever did.**

 **About the name Nihilus… well that came about for two reasons. The first being the inspiration of his character being Darth Nihilus from KOTOR2 and the second being a rather blatant hint to his mentality. Nihilism is defined as "The doctrine that nothing actually exists or that existence or values are meaningless." Jaune follows this pretty closely, he doesn't really understand the concept of others very well. Everything is about him; his desires, his pains, he no longer understands that the world exists outside of himself… well himself and his own insanity anyway.**

 **In regards to him summoning Cinder… Winter only really explained the summoning as calling forth a past foe. It was never limited to just Grimm, and Cinder certainly counts as a past foe…**

 **All that aside let's look at the reviews:**

 **Smithrooks:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Yeah he wants power from the very beginning, but obviously the reasoning behind this desire starts out being much more altruistic than later. The reasons behind it aren't really shown yet, but at this point a safe guess on your part would be to assume it's based off his desire to help people.**

 **He is ridiculously overpowered, almost to the point that he is practically the anti hunter. Cinder did indeed make a grave mistake, she likely did know how dangerous he was but assumed that she herself was beyond the reach of his semblance due to her having roughly half of the Fall Maiden powers. Like Weiss said last chapter, "No male was** _ **meant**_ **to hold that strength." not no male** _ **can**_ **hold that strength. She 'died' for her mistake.**

 **Nik41:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Thanks! I will.**

 **Tobi14:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **His semblance only allows him to absorb the aura of others, but since the aura of others have their own semblances… well, there's not much he** _ **can't**_ **do given the right… tools.**

 **He can absorb aura from trees and stuff, but it will be shown later that plants and other small animals are only a pittance compared to a person.**

 **And it should be noted that he is already using his semblance at its maximum range, he can't extend it any further without the aid of another semblance that would allow such a thing.**

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and please remember to leave a review!**


	4. Quiet

Wraith

Chapter Four

Beta: Smithrooks

Quiet

 **Vale, present day…**

The girls of team RWBY scattered as the icy-looking creation of Jaune ignited the street around them, Weiss being supported by Blake as they dodged the fires.

The creation was silent, its mouth closed but still held firmly as she roasted anything in her path. The creator was less quiet however, "MORE! I NEED MORE!" he screamed as he stared at Weiss, sickly yellow eyes narrowed in desire. "The other is still there! Still INSIDE!"

He darted towards Weiss, intent on ripping her soul out and gorging himself. But just as he drew near Blake lashed out with her blackened katana towards his throat, and as expected the sword was repelled by his aura; but Nihilus didn't stop, moving closer and closer.

But Weiss wasn't defenceless. As soon as he drew near she slammed her rapier into his chest; the stab was blocked by aura, but momentum still carried him backwards.

Sudden anger overtook the desire and hunger that had eclipsed his face moments ago, a furious rage at being denied the one thing that he wished for the most. "No!" he cried, his flames dancing across his fingertips. "I need it! I need to summon! She's still in there! Still lying! WHY WON'T SHE STOP LYING TO ME?!"

Less than a fraction of a second later two massive plumes of flame shot out of his hands towards Blake and Weiss, the burning heat so intense that the pavement beneath their feet began to melt.

The girls were saved just in the nick of time by Ruby, who pulled them from the fire moments before it consumed them. But Jaune wasn't done; the ground shifted beneath their feet as stone and dirt bent to his command. Rough pillars of stone shot upwards and slammed into Ruby, Blake and Weiss, forcing them into the air where they couldn't defend themselves.

The icy copy of Cinder turned towards the now marginally defenceless huntresses and shot a gust of fire at them, all while Jaune's unseeing sickly yellow eyes glared daggers at the girls.

Their salvation came in the form of Yang, who tackled the ice Cinder to the ground and slammed her fists into its face over and over again.

"NO!" Nihilus cried, his eyes snapping to Yang in an instant. "I won't let you hurt her!" Lightning crackled up his arms as he lashed out at Yang, yellow eyes wide with fear and anger.

His energized fists slammed into Yang moments before she was able to destroy the aura construct; the armoured girl was sent rocketing backwards with lightning dancing across her armour. "I can't go back!" Jaune cried, his hands now running over the construct, slowly repairing the damage.

"I can't go back…"

Bullets sped towards him, but were dismissed with a wave of his hand. The ground shook as glowing fire burned around his eyes, showing a fury that seemed to rattle the souls of the girls watching. "I CAN'T GO BACK! I _WON'T_ GO BACK! I WILL BE FREE!"

The ground rumbled dangerously as he rose into the air, the icy Cinder held firmly in his hands. Fire spewed forth from his body and charred the ground beneath him as his sickly yellow eyes burnt with mad fury that was solely directed to the armoured girls beneath him. "You don't understand!" he spat, white hair whipping about wildly in the waves of burning hot air. "She wouldn't stop screaming!"

The earth shook once again as the pavement shattered under the anger of the self-proclaimed lord. None of RWBY were able to keep steady footing as stone shifted beneath them, and fire burnt the air around them.

But fortunately for them, it seemed like Jaune was done for the day; his rage was quickly fading into pitiful sobs of agony and torment as he hovered in the air. Tears leaked down his face, and the fires that spewed from his body began to wane. "I need her gone…" he whispered as he rose higher in the air, before his head snapped to the side and he screeched," SHUT UP! You're DEAD! Leave me ALONE!"

The armoured girls of RWBY could hardly blink before he disappeared; a blinding flash, a black fire, and he rocketed away faster than they could follow.

"Well fuck," Yang spat from the ground, her burning red eyes glaring daggers into the now empty sky.

Ruby sighed, it seems that they had lost again. "Hang tight girls," she commented as she pulled her scroll out, "I'm calling Ozpin, he'll know what to do now…"

The others could only nod despondently. They had failed.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

"What. The. Fuck?"

The young and newly formed team RWBY stared at the television screen in shock. Yang's question surmised all their collective thoughts perfectly as they tried to comprehend the absolute chaos they had just watched.

Classes had been unexpectedly cut short during their first combat class with Professor Goodwitch; it had been in the middle of a bout when her scroll rang, and shortly after she had ended the class and escaped as if they were all diseased. All that was slightly surprising, but the day only got stranger when what seemed like the entire Valean military had showed up at Beacon, looking like they were ready to kill at a moment's notice.

Then rumours started cropping up that Goodwitch was in the infirmary for extreme aura depletion; but she carried no noticeable injuries, it was almost like her aura just drained itself for no reason at all.

All this was strange and slightly freaky, but it got so much worse when reports started coming in from Vale that some _freak_ was somehow walking around and killing people without so much as touching them; all it left were withered husks that looked more like skeletons than people.

That had been about ten minutes ago now, and still news reporters were having a field day ripping the hunters to shreds over the utter failure to stop the freak. An entire city block had been practically levelled by whatever that _thing_ was, and the damage was estimated to be somewhere in the thousands… all that, and they still didn't know _what the hell_ that… man… was.

The girls of RWBY had recoiled in shock and disgust when they had shown pictures of the foul man that had caused the destruction; the snow-white skin and hair standing in sharp contrast to the tattered black robes and sickly yellow eyes, the foul look that marred its face, the _evil_ way it conducted itself…

"What on Remnant was that thing?" Weiss questioned, her previous anger at Ruby overridden in the face of the creature that had assaulted Vale.

"I… I think it could have been a man…" Blake replied hesitantly from her bunk, her amber eyes narrowed as she tried to puzzle it out in her mind.

"Nuh-uh," Ruby denied as she cuddled up to Yang on the elder sister's bed, "That thing looked more like a Grimm than a person."

"Well, I think that-" Yang started, but was cut off by Weiss who pointed to the television and exclaimed, "Look! Professor Ozpin is giving a statement!"

The aged man was standing in the screen, obviously somewhere in Vale and surrounded by cameras and microphones as he spoke calmly to the many reporters. "People of Vale, I beg of you, please remain calm."

"Calm?!" one particularly pushy reporter cried, his face red with outrage. "How can we remain calm in the face of a monster that defeated your precious hunters so easily?"

Ozpin retained his composure, seemingly unruffled by the anger of the reporter, "That was no monster, it was but a man. A hunter that has strayed from the path of good, and fallen from grace."

"A hunter?" a different, and much calmer reporter questioned, "Did you know this man?"

"We had met briefly in the past; he was a kind and noble soul," the aged headmaster sighed as the noise around him grew quiet to listen to his words. "But who he used to be is long since gone now, consumed by the madness that now plagues his mind."

"Who was he? How was he so powerful?"

The silver-haired man seemed to grow older as the questions continued, his gaze becoming slightly distant. "I shall not say his name, but know this: his semblance is to consume the aura of others, it is imperative that if faced with him you flee as soon as possible."

"But why? The reporter pressed, holding the microphone to the headmaster's face, "Who is this man? How did he gain a semblance so powerful?"

"This man is the Lord of Hunger," Ozpin returned flatly, "beyond that I will say no more."

Questions blared towards the headmaster, but all too soon he had vacated the scene, leaving the reporters to work out what the hell was going on.

The four girls of RWBY were almost mute with shock, all trying to wrap their heads around the idea that a rogue hunter could _drain_ _their souls_ out to steal their power? That… that was heavy.

"Oh god…" Blake's words summarised what they were all thinking.

* * *

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

Jaune stood on the metal plate identical to the dozens of other prospective students around him, his cheery grin still firmly in place as he looked over the Emerald Forest that stretched out below the cliffs.

The headmaster looked completely serene as he faced the students, sipping his coffee slowly as his eyes slowly went from one student to another. Jaune was too far absorbed in his own thoughts to notice the man pause when his eyes landed on him; a moment's consideration, then continued looking at the prospective students. "For years, all of you have trained to be hunters, and today your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."

The scary blonde woman with glasses and a cape that stood beside Ozpin took over from the headmaster seamlessly, "No doubt all of you have heard rumours about teams, allow me to put an end to all speculation. You will be given teammates. Today."

Jaune just nodded, that made sense. Get them all working together earlier…

Ozpin took over again, very faint traces of amusement glittering behind his eyes. "These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time at Beacon, so it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well. That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

Jaune's jaw almost hit the ground. What kind of system was that? That was insane!

Apparently Jaune wasn't the only one that thought this system was rather questionable; several people down the line made similar cries of shock and outrage. But neither of the professors seemed to care; Ozpin looked almost amused, but Goodwitch looked utterly apathetic.

After letting the shock die out Ozpin continued speaking, looking for all the world as if he were talking about the weather. "After you have found a partner, make your way to the northern end of the forest. But remember: the forest is teeming with Grimm. You must slay them, or you _will_ die."

Suddenly Jaune wasn't feeling too good about this whole 'being a hunter' thing, perhaps being a farmer could work out better for him…

"At the northern end of the forest is an abandoned temple that contains several relics. You and your partner shall take one relic, then attempt to return to the base of this cliff. We will grade you appropriately for the duration of this test, so do your very best." The headmaster paused to sip his coffee, a content look on his face. "Now, are there any questions?"

Immediately Jaune thrust his hand into the air, two things prominently on his mind: how exactly were they getting down there, and what drugs had Ozpin taken this morning? Oh, and where he could get them.

"Excellent! Take your positions everyone."

Jaune's eye twitched. The guy hadn't even acknowledged him! Well he'd show him! Time to display the vaunted Arc courage!

"U-um s-sir?"

 _Fiddlesticks! Curse my stutter…_

"Yes, Mister Arc?"

Down the line somewhere there was an ominous sounding click.

"How… how exactly are we getting down there? Is there like, a staircase or something?" _please god let there be a staircase…_

"No. You will be falling.

 _Fuck!_ "O-oh…" he was so screwed… "So are you gonna hand out parachutes or something?"

Down the line the other students were being thrown into the air, the mechanical pads they were on showing how dastardly they truly were.

"You will be using your own landing strategy."

Jaune could almost feel the grin behind those words, the bastard… "Right… so what exactly is a landing strategy? I don't-" whatever else Jaune was going to say was cut off when he found himself being hurled through the air, while letting out what he hoped was a manly scream.

Jaune couldn't do anything, he was so afraid. He was totally going to die! When he hit the ground he'd become a pizza, he didn't want to be a pizza!

If only he'd listened to his parents and become a farmer or something…

But Jaune's rather understandable fears of becoming distinctly flatter were proven moot a moment later, when a red and gold spear came out of nowhere and pinned him to a tree.

In that single moment, Jaune wished that he had just been allowed to hit the ground instead.

His screams of anguish echoed around the entire forest as he weakly gripped the spear that was jammed in his shoulder. The pain was unlike anything he had ever felt before; molten hot agony seared through his left arm and chest as the cold and unfeeling metal held him to the tree. His cries of pain slowly turned into a plea for help. "Help…! Please! Anyone!"

But only silence returned his begging.

Tears and snot leaked down his face; why would anyone do this to him? They were meant to fight Grimm, not each other!

After what felt like an eternity some nearby bushes rustled as someone, or something, made its way closer to him.

Distantly, Jaune knew it could be the Grimm, or worse, the person that did this to him. But he didn't care, the pain was almost too much to bear; he needed help.

But fortune smiled on Jaune for once in his life, and it wasn't Grimm. Instead he was greeted by the sight of a tall boy with copper-coloured hair and heavy metal armour that had a bird emblem on its chest.

The boy looked at him in distaste, his indigo eyes narrowing on Jaune and then widening slightly upon seeing the spear jammed in his shoulder. "What the hell happened to you?" the boy demanded, "that's Nikos' spear."

Jaune sobbed, his pain too intense to really try answering the question. "Please…"

The bigger boy snorted in disdain at Jaune's apparent weakness, but regardless of that he moved forwards and firmly grasped the shaft of the spear. With one quick yank and a muffled scream from Jaune, the spear came loose and was tossed to the ground.

Jaune slumped into the grass beside the spear and clutched his bloody shoulder, sobs still racking his frame.

But the other boy was having none of it; instead he grasped Jaune by the shoulders and forced him to his eye level. "Why didn't your aura protect you?" he demanded of his new partner.

"Aura?" Jaune questioned though his sobs, the pain was too much…

The boy blinked in surprise, shocked that the idiot before him didn't know about aura. "You moron, how did you even get accepted without knowing about aura?"

Jaune sobbed and clutched his wounded shoulder to try and stop the blood flow.

The armoured boy sighed explosively, and lowered Jaune to the ground before placing a single hand on Jaune's mop of messy blonde hair. "Close your eyes and concentrate you moron."

Jaune tried to obey the command, but the pain was almost too much to bear…

" _For it is in our passing that we achieve immortality, by our example we become a symbol of power for others to follow. Masterful in skill, supreme in power, I release your soul. By my hand I give thee this power."_

The old words shook loose Jaune's soul, and despite the pain that still clawed at his shoulder, Jaune had never felt so strong before. He wanted more of this power.

 **A/N**

 **So… yeah Jaune is partners with Cardin. Maybe that's why he's a total dick in the present? Or maybe there is something deeper at work behind that...**

 **So the point of divergence is with Pyrrha. All the stuff that happened in the 'many years ago…' sections are identical to what happened in the present, except that in the present Pyrrha didn't miss.**

 **You're probably wondering what exactly caused the change… and let me tell you, it's not exciting. It wasn't a super epic reason or anything… ready to hear it? Drum roll please…**

 **A mosquito flew past as Pyrrha was aiming.**

 **That's it.**

 **Just a mosquito.**

 **The Lord of Hunger, the dozens of deaths… all because of some irrelevant little bug that was swatted away like it didn't matter. How could that have changed things? Well Pyrrha likely just twitched a little to rid herself of the bug, it's not really her fault…**

 **That aside let's see the reviews:**

 **blaiseingfire:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Haha, that's the reaction I was looking for.**

 **Toddem Mach:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Shit indeed!  
**

 **Tobi14:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I hardly think Jaune hacked his way into Beacon, I suspect it's more likely that as he said in canon, he 'got his hands on' some blank transcripts.**

 **As for the Schnee semblance… well, people wouldn't really care since the Schnee family provide the very thing that keeps the world running.**

 **SonicFanFlame:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Good, empathising with Jaune, or Nihilus as the case may be, is going to be an important aspect later.**

 **Also haha funny pun.**

 **Yes the wizard did have the power originally, but as I understand it he changed it all when he gave it to the original Maidens; making it an exclusively female ability.**

 **As for absorbing himself… well, you'll see.**

* * *

 **Well thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a review!**


	5. Tender Remains

Wraith

Chapter Five

Beta: Smithrooks

Tender Remains

 **Outskirts of Vale, present day…**

The Lord of Hunger sat crouched over the slowly fading construct made from the stolen aura of the Schnee girl, the icy image of Cinder dying as he ran out of the aura he needed to sustain it.

He had broken into an apartment building in the run-down slums of the city; the original owners had been promptly drained of all their aura, and were now little more than withered husks dirtying the already stained floor.

His cries of sadness and outrage rang throughout the entire building, but no one dared speak out against him. The aura construct was dying, and there was nothing he could do. He had only managed to steal the barest sliver of aura from the Schnee girl before he had been interrupted - and thus the construct was fading away as he burnt the last dregs of the soul he had stolen.

But it wasn't fair! He needed the silence; they both wouldn't stop talking. Why wouldn't they stop talking?

The icy image of the dead woman finally faded into nothing, and the voices came back full force. The scream of rage and despair that escaped the pale mouth of Nihilus was utterly consuming, but all those that heard him were too busy running away or calling the authorities to care.

He had lingered for far too long, the empty dark place around him growing cold and unforgiving even as his sightless sickly yellow eyes darted around in anger. He needed to move, he needed to leave… he needed to feed.

He was so hungry, oh so hungry.

It hurt so bad… why did it hurt? Hunger… hunger… why did it have to hurt? WHY WERE THEY TALKING SO LOUD? But they were dead, dead people don't talk… his mother always told him that the dead were silent as the night and lived in the shadowlands, so why were they talking to him?

Rage and despair warred within him, but the darkness around him didn't abate. Distantly, he could see the colourful lights of the delicious souls. They ran from him… but what good was it to run? Their pretty little lights would be his soon enough. They belonged to him! Their power was rightfully his! She said so! She kept telling him that they were his for the taking, but the other disagreed; she wanted quiet, she wanted to be alone again.

Didn't she know? You can't ever be alone. They were always there: the voices, the golden lights…

But not just the lights, the hollows were coming. All his rage and despair was bleeding into others, the pretty little lights stained by his anger and fear; now, the hollows were coming. The howls and jeers of the empty spaces were moving closer.

He was so afraid. Why were the hollows coming? He was so afraid…

* * *

 **The Emerald Forest, many years ago…**

The spear wound had scabbed over pretty quickly, and the pain had dulled somewhat. But it still hurt terribly; the feeling of having all of his newfound power seeping through his shoulder left the rest of his body feeling cold and alone.

The boy, Cardin, had hauled Jaune to his feet and practically ordered him to start marching northwards. But Jaune hadn't particularly minded, he was just glad he had someone strong and capable around to help him.

Someone to protect him.

For the life of him, he couldn't work out why that Pyrrha girl had attacked him. Had he offended her that badly when he didn't know who she was? She had been so nice…

Sure, he may have been a little rude when he was flirting with Weiss, but it had been unintentional and no sane person would impale someone for bad manners right? They came here to learn to be hunters, not to hurt people! What had he done to deserve this?

A branch whipped past and slapped him on his wounded shoulder; Jaune couldn't suppress the cry of pain that slipped past his lips. Cardin barely even spared him a glance though, just a small scowl and the silent order to keep moving.

Somehow, Jaune was getting the impression that Cardin didn't like him all that much. Although considering his current track record at getting his new classmates to like him, Jaune was feeling pretty good about how Cardin was treating him - especially given that Cardin had yet to spear him to a tree.

Although the large mace that Cardin had sitting on his back made Jaune doubt that the other boy would spear him to a tree; instead, he would probably turn him into a red smear that stained the grass.

Such lovely, positive thoughts. Who would have guessed that being impaled would have that effect on people?

Although Jaune did have to admit that the pain from the spear certainly had put a new perspective on pain. All those paper cuts and little scrapes he had as a kid? He had whined and moaned liked he was dying, but now? Yeah, they might as well have been a gentle tickle compared to the feeling of a friggin spear going through his shoulder, and then having all his weight rest on the extremely sharp blade.

Who knows, maybe he could write a book on it one day. He'd call it: _The first time a girl nailed me… to a tree._

Yeah… that had a nice ring to it. He only hoped that he would never have to write a sequel, he _really_ didn't want to be impaled again.

The trees began to part as Cardin led the duo into a clearing, the clean and unsoiled grass vibrantly green to the eye. But the pain in Jaune's shoulder was just too great; he couldn't appreciate the deep greens when he felt blood seep down his shoulder.

"Hurry up Jauney," Cardin called as he moved forwards, a thin veneer of friendliness covering the mild disdain that Jaune knew was there. "It looks like we're the first ones here, but we won't be waiting around to find out."

Jaune didn't really know what to say to that, so instead he just nodded.

Cardin had been good to him so far. Sure he may have been a little rough here and there, but Jaune had no doubt that they would turn out to be great friends.

They reached the broken stone temple a few short moments later. Cardin busied himself with picking a relic, while Jaune tried stem the small trickle of blood that leaked out of his mostly scabbed over wound.

"Here," the larger boy announced, "I have one." Held aloft in his large hands was a black chess piece that Jaune didn't really recognise.

"Great job…" the blonde boy wheezed, the terrible ache in his shoulder making everything else seem insignificant.

Before Cardin could say anything else, a howl broke through the clearing and three average-looking Beowolves began a mad dash towards the two teens; no doubt they were attracted to the smell of blood coming from Jaune's shoulder.

Jaune gulped while Cardin scoffed, the larger boy drawing his mace from his shoulder and grinning in challenge towards the feral beasts. Jaune weakly drew Crocea Mors from his hip with his good hand, though he was unable to deploy his shield due to the shoulder wound.

The lupine creatures drew ever closer; their howls of hunger and animalistic rage made Jaune wish he had stuck to being a farmer or something.

When they came within about ten metres Cardin leapt at the beasts with an impressive war cry, his mace slamming downwards with explosive force that crushed the skull of the first Grimm.

But the beasts weren't really interested in Cardin, the smell of blood had stained their senses and they were set on Jaune. As the first Beowolf came within range, Jaune swung his sword out at hard as he possibly could, hoping to any god that would listen that the beast would be sheared in half by the ancient blade.

But apparently the gods had abandoned him; his strike fell short, and the beast crashed into his body with more than enough force to knock him over. Even as Cardin dealt with the other remaining Grimm, the Beowolf atop Jaune snarled and tore away at flesh with its claws and teeth. Jaune tried to call out for help, but all that came out was a piercing cry of agony as the claws of the beast raked across his face and its sharp teeth dug into his shoulder.

His face felt as if it had been torn to shreds, pain unlike anything he had ever felt burning through his mind with a fury that seemed to wash away everything else. The seemingly endless pain suddenly lessened when the beast was smashed aside with a single stroke of Cardin's mace.

Jaune didn't see his rescuer, his vision clouded red with blood pouring from the huge slash wounds across his face. Darkness seeped into the edges of the scarlet, but even then Jaune tried to retain his awareness.

He heard words… things were getting fuzzy… was someone talking to him? There was a blurry dark mass above him, sounds and images that he could hardly understand…

"...Jaune! … awake! …"

There were other things, more dark shapes around him… was this was death felt like? So much pain… wasn't death meant to be peaceful?

"What happened?" one of the blobs questioned, the voice seemed so distant… "... do this?"

He felt like he was being moved, but he had no control over it. Large hands pressed against his back as someone carried him. "... Grimm … aura …"

The darkness drew him in… he felt like he was drifting away, like it would be so much easier to just let go and have a quick sleep…

Yes, a sleep… just a quick nap, and he'd be right as rain afterwards.

Just a quick little sleep…

Darkness consumed his vision, and he knew no more.

* * *

 **Beacon infirmary, many years ago…**

The world exploded into agony in a red-hot mess of pain, agony that was centered in three jagged streaks across his face and burning pain in his left shoulder.

Someone screamed nearby, and the world slowly came into better focus. Sharp white lights shone from above, and Jaune could hear someone saying his name. A blurry figure stood over him and he could see its mouth move, but the sounds came out disjointed and wrong.

He was in so much pain; his face felt like it was on fire, and his shoulder felt like it had been speared again. "W-where am I?" he forced out, his voice little more than a harsh whisper.

The world seemed to shake as a hand gently seemed to lift his head and press a glass of cool water to his lips. Until that moment he hadn't realised just how thirsty he was; his throat burned and ached terribly, but that was still nothing compared to the other things that pained him.

"Can you hear me, Mr. Arc?"

The voice came out much clearer this time, the words less slurred and Jaune was actually able to understand what was said. But his eyes still ached horribly, and his vision was fuzzy and indistinct. "Who are you?" Jaune questioned weakly, pain wracking his body.

The blur seemed to shift slightly, its body repositioning itself. "I am professor Ozpin, Mr. Arc. Do you remember me?

Ozpin… the headmaster of the school, the greatest hunter alive, how could Jaune forget? "Wh-what happened? I hurt…"

"You were gravely wounded during initiation, first by accident during your landing and later by Grimm attracted to the smell of your blood." The blurred form of the headmaster shifted, though Jaune could hardly tell because his eyes just refused to work properly.

"M-my eyes…" the blonde boy trailed off, hoping desperately that he wasn't going to be stuck like this forever.

He heard the aged man sigh deeply, but still his form was blurry and indistinct. "Yes Mr. Arc, when the Beowolf mauled you it did quite a bit of damage to your face, including your eyes. I am sorry."

Jaune whimpered. So this was it then? He could never be a hunter? The one thing in life that he had truly wished for was now robbed from him. What was the point in living? He was worthless…

"Do you still wish to be a huntsman, Mr. Arc?"

The voice rang hollow in his ears; what a silly question to ask. There were no blind hunters, or semi-blind as the case may be; there were just dead ones. "What's the point?" the young Arc asked softly, wishing for nothing more than an end right now.

The headmaster seemed to shift, his voice becoming grave, yet hopeful at the same time. "There is a way. Your eyes will never heal, but your aura can see for you if I teach you the way."

Aura can see for him? He didn't even know what aura was, just a thing that Cardin had given him… but it could allow him to see? How was that possible? He wanted to be a hunter more than anything else in the world, but to be near blind…

Whatever the headmaster was offering was his only choice, it seemed. "Please..." Jaune only said the one word, all his desperation pouring into it even as his voice cracked.

"The path before you will be long and difficult Mr. Arc, but if you persist and try your hardest then I am positive that you will become a powerful hunter like your forefathers."

Like his forefathers… he could still be a hunter, still be a powerful hero… a mighty warrior… yes, he would do it, whatever it took he would do it. "Please..." He repeated, fully intending to become the best of the best.

"I warn you Mr. Arc, once I teach you this it will become a study that will last you a lifetime. There is no turning back."

Jaune didn't care. The aged man before him was offering a way to be whole once more. "Please."

Ozpin sighed slightly, but at the same time he seemed to be elated at the choice Jaune had made. "Very well Mr. Arc, I will teach you. Now, can you feel your aura…?"

What were those words…? The words Cardin had used… the feeling of power… the ancient feeling that seemed to rattle his very core… _For it is in our passing that we achieve immortality, by our example we become a symbol of power for others to follow. Masterful in skill, supreme in power, I release your soul. By my hand I give thee this power._

Jaune Arc _glowed_.

 **A/N**

 **So… Jaune is practically blind right after initiation; and horribly scarred too. But doesn't that raise some interesting questions? He doesn't have any facial scars in the present, granted he is also** _ **completely**_ **insane in the present so… well, you'll see. But that does explain, at least partially, why the sickly yellow eyes of Nihilus have been described as 'unseeing' since the first chapter.**

 **What do you guys think Nihilus meant when he thought that the 'hollows' were coming? What is a hollow? The answer to that should be pretty obvious to anyone who's been reading carefully enough, that and why he calls them hollows.**

 **That aside let's take a look at reviews:**

 **SonicFanFlame:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Yes, it's on the news - just another thing to add to Ozpin's** _ **long**_ **list of fuckups.**

 **And yeah lot's of battles with himself, but who with? Cinder is a pretty obvious guess but there is more to it than that. Also, no Jaune x Cinder. Nope, not at all.**

 **Smithrooks:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **An interesting thing to note is that there are actually only two voices in his head. You guessed correctly that Cinder was one of them, but the other isn't Pyrrha. And it's not just that he hears the voices, you may have noticed that he sometimes turns and speaks to empty space - that is because he can 'see' the two that speak to him.  
And yeah, I know it was meant for comedy originally, but Pyrrha did take a horrible risk by throwing her spear at Jaune. seriously... throwing a razor sharp spear at someone while they are moving incredibly fast and the target is something behind their neck. Brilliant plan.**

 **Yes, in my personal headcanon (and for all my stories...) the phrase used to unlock a person's aura can affect them later, but it** end **result will generally be pretty similar. It's like having different people training Jaune to fight; Ruby would teach him to rely on speed rather than strength, Yang would teach that powering through enemy attacks was the way to go, Blake would teach dodging and evasive tactics rather than outright brutality and Weiss would teach precision and patience. All different methods of doing the same thing - fighting - that have generally similar results, even if they travel a different route to get there.**

 **Tobi14:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Trust me, dying isn't on Nihilus' list of priorities. He has too much to do first.**

 **Toddem Mach:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Ha, double shit indeed.**

 **All it took was one little change… the wonders of the butterfly effect at work.**

* * *

 **Thanks for reading, and please remember t** **hat reviews really help inspire me to write! more reviews = longer/better chapters! So leave a review!**


	6. Twin Souls

Wraith

Chapter Six

Beta: Smithrooks

Twin Souls

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

The world was so colourful now.

Jaune followed the deep, emerald-green glow of the headmaster through the corridors of Beacon, the winding path alight with the glow of hundreds of past students that had walked these corridors since the school was built.

It had been just over a week since he had woken up, and in that time the headmaster had been teaching Jaune to see using aura rather than his ruined eyes. It was strange, in a way; he could now see for miles… but everything was indistinct. He could see a person standing in front of him, but he'd have no idea what they looked like beyond their physical proportions.

He didn't even know what he looked like anymore. Ozpin had told him that he carried deep scars from initiation that would stay with him forever, but beyond rubbing his hand across his face he would never find out how he looked. He could feel three long, pitted lines across his face, a faint pain that resonated deep within his being as he stared at himself. He had begun to wonder, did he still look like Jaune Arc? Were his eyes still blue? Was he freakish now? Would his parents still recognise him? They probably wouldn't care anymore; he had run away and stolen the family sword just to come to Beacon.

For all the good it did.

Another weird thing that he was struggling to get used to was his new field of vision. His new aura sight didn't really use his eyes; it was more of a general sight in every direction. Even when his now near-sightless eyes were shut as tight as he could the world was a mess of colours, and when his eyes were open he was greeted by a blurry mess that was impossible to decipher.

Everything looked so different too; everyone had their own unique colour that shined in ways he could never express in words. Every inch of Beacon was illuminated by the steps of hunters that had walked through here; every animal had a resonating shine that was their souls, every plant thrummed with life…

Even the cobblestones of the courtyard had a dash of aura in them, just a little mark left by whoever had placed each stone there. Like a shadow of something that was gone, but the image of it still lingered despite the absence.

Even now as Jaune followed the deep green light of Ozpin, he saw everything around him. The curious souls of other students within their rooms, the shining auras peeking out of their rooms to take a glance at the duo as they moved towards where Jaune's new teammates were.

Teammates. Jaune wasn't really sure what to think of that. Ozpin had told him that he had been placed in team WASB, or Wasp for short. The aged headmaster had explained that they had refused to visit him, more interested in other matters.

But that was okay, Jaune had already met his new team leader Cardin and he seemed like a nice enough guy. Maybe a little rough around the edges, but still a nice dude.

The headmaster came to a stop outside a door that glowed vibrantly with faded life. Beyond the door, Jaune saw three brilliantly coloured souls milling about. All seemed to be of a more male shape, but that was okay; living a life with seven sisters does tend to rob one of their masculinity, so it would be nice be around other guys for a change.

The headmaster tapped his cane against the door instead of knocking, and within a moment the wood was moved aside and a tall, bulky soul stood before them. "Headmaster?" Jaune recognized the voice; it was Cardin. "And Jaune? Man… you look messed up."

Jaune lowered his head in shame. He was ugly now, the scars disfiguring him must be awful to look at.

"Now, now, Mr. Winchester, there is no need for that." The calm voice of Ozpin cut through the dark mood that had settled in Jaune's spirit. "I just came to deliver your teammate to you, I believe he was quite sick of the infirmary."

More like the doctor was sick of him. Despite his new disability, Jaune could never stop staring at all the colours that seeped into every inch of Beacon; even in the cold infirmary there were so many things he could never put into words, colours that the eye could never understand but the mind was always blind to until shown the way…

The doctor had ended up getting quite sick of Jaune's constant questioning and admittedly reasonable complaints about the poor food. The doctor had near begged Ozpin to let Jaune leave, just so he wouldn't be bothered by questions he had no answers to.

"Cardin?" Jaune said lowly, using the words he had planned all week. "I'm sorry I was so useless in the forest…"

Jaune couldn't see whatever the larger boy's expression was, but he did see the silvery soul shift slightly. "Whatever, Jauney boy. Come in and meet your teammates."

The headmaster cleared his throat, making his presence known once more, "I will take my leave then. Good day, gentlemen."

The deep emerald aura that Jaune knew to be Ozpin slowly walked away, only the gentle clicking of his cane on the ground giving away that the powerful man had left.

Cardin reached out and grabbed Jaune by the shoulder, the now scarred one actually, and pulled him into the room where the other two souls lay on what Jaune assumed to be beds. "Guys, this is Jaune, our late teammate."

Jaune wasn't exactly expecting an overly warm reception; he had shown how weak he was during initiation after all. But he was still somewhat disappointed by the lackluster "Hey," and "Sup," the other two males granted him.

But Jaune was undeterred. "What are your names?" he asked, hoping to get a slightly better impression of himself across.

The pale blue aura of the boy closest to him rolled over, a deep relaxed voice reverberating from the spirit, "I'm Sky Lark. You look pretty messed up man."

Oh, like Jaune didn't already know that. He probably looked like a freak now. Maybe he should grow his hair out to help hide the scars? He'd need to give that some thought later…

The other boy on the far side of the room shifted, a coppery coloured aura that seemed to be slightly larger than that of Sky. "I'm Dove Bronzewing." The words were short and to the point, clipped in a way that made Jaune think that Dove didn't really want to talk to him.

Oh well, you can't win everything.

But Jaune wasn't really deterred by Dove being a bit stand-offish. All that mattered was that he was back on track to becoming the greatest hunter to ever live.

Jaune smiled, unaware of the pained grimaces his teammates gave upon seeing his face twist into an even uglier expression.

* * *

 **Vale, present day…**

The city was in an uproar.

Sirens and alarms wailed throughout the streets, the calm calls of the civil protection computer system informing them that a level 6 Grimm incursion was about to crash into the city. Helpless civilians rushed around like headless chickens, frantically trying to get to their homes and away from the oncoming Grimm attack.

All this caused by the 'Lord of Hunger' that had rampaged through the streets just a few short hours before. The man hadn't been seen since, but that just made it worse in the minds of the average citizen, that just meant no one survived to report seeing him.

Hunters rushed around, some telling civilians to get out of the way and others ignoring the chaos entirely in favour of rushing to the city walls to defend against the horde of Grimm that now attacked them. Even students were tasked with protecting the city, the able young bodies doing the safer tasks like fetching more ammunition or helping the wounded while the elder hunters fought and died on the walls.

First and second year students had been sent out into Forever Fall instead of the walls, they were to be used as scouting parties to determine how many Grimm were moving towards the city.

The decision had been made by the Council; Headmaster Ozpin had been less than pleased, but had abided anyway. He was on rather thin ice after what the government saw as a failure to contain the beast that had come through the Rift, despite the sheer impossibility to actually stand against the self-proclaimed lord without specialised armour.

RWBY and JNPR had been travelling through the woods for just shy of two hours in near silence, too shocked by the suddenness of the Grimm incursion caused by the freak seen on the television. Their weapons were drawn and held ready, but they had yet to actually meet any resistance beyond a stray Beowolf; no doubt most of the Grimm in the area were too busy swarming Vale to bother with them.

Finally it was Ruby that broke the silence, her nerves frayed by the lack of noise. "So what do you guys think that thing on the news was? Ozpin said it was a rogue hunter."

The group continued walking, burnt-red coloured leaves crunching underfoot. Finally it was Jaune that answered, his voice timid and unsure, "I don't know Ruby, but I sure hope we never meet it… him."

"It looked a little like a Grimm…" Pyrrha muttered as she pushed through some foliage, "but Ozpin did say that it used to be a hunter that he had once met."

Weiss huffed, obviously not enjoying her time in the forest nor terribly pleased with the company. "That thing hardly looked human anymore, it may have been once but now it's just another monster for hunters to deal with."

"That's hardly fair," Blake scowled, "We know nothing about him, we have no context beyond him being dangerous. We can't call him a monster without knowing why he acts the way he does."

Weiss scoffed, "He killed several innocents in downtown Vale, murdered several huntsmen too. And you defend the creature? I thought you were the rational one on this team Belladonna."

The others watched the argument slowly unfold, JNPR reaching the unspoken decision to stay out of it lest they incite the anger of their new friends. Yang and Ruby had no such luxury however. "Come on guys," Yang tried to cool tempers, "let's not fight right now."

But Blake ignored her, more intent on glaring at her pale teammate. "Obviously I'm more rational than you, I don't call everything I fail to understand evil."

"How dare you!" Weiss hissed, pale blue eyes lighting up in indignation, "I am a Schnee, I am-"

Whatever else she was going to say was cut off when a terrible scream of fear tore through the woods, silencing the words that Weiss was about to say.

"Someone's in trouble!" Ruby cried, secretly glad that something had stopped the fight, "we need to go help them!"

All the others nodded with resolute looks on their faces, but Jaune had a nervous expression as he voiced his concerns. "Uh… guys? Only hunters are in these woods right now, only something really bad could make a hunter scream like that."

He was right, and the others all knew that, but they still needed to go help. "We know Jaune, but we're hunters and it's our job to help people in need." Ruby replied.

Jaune nodded as he silently scolded himself for his mild cowardice; what would his parents think if they saw him act like that? Well, their opinions of him were probably already pretty low after he stole Crocea Mors and ran away. It's not like it could get worse, right?

Jaune was shaken from his thoughts when Pyrrha tapped him on the shoulder and gestured for him to get moving; the others had already started to leave. Jaune and his partner quickly dashed to catch up with them in their mad sprint towards the source of the terrible scream.

The ground shuddered violently and a blast of fire shot above the trees. The young hunters-in-training didn't stop, although their gazes lingered on the flames as they ran. It must have been a Dust-mage that was in trouble, if the fire and the mini-earthquake was any indication.

Another scream, this time closer and the fear seemed more prevalent. The howls of Grimm could be heard too, the bestial rage of the soulless creatures all directed at one thing in particular.

The two teams burst into a clearing; a small horde of Beowolves and a dozen Ursai circled around a figure in black robes with ghostly white skin and hair.

The teams stopped once they saw the man surrounded by Grimm, it was the guy from the news! The 'Lord of Hunger'. A moment of indecision racked the young hunters, should they help him?

That was answered for them when he let out another scream of terror, his head darting around in every direction as he seemingly tried to keep his sickly yellow eyes on every noise in the clearing. Fear was streaked across his smooth pale face, yellow eyes wide and afraid.

The teams leapt into the fray, some with gusto like Ruby and Nora, others slightly more reserved like Weiss and Blake.

The Grimm fell upon them like a storm, the snarling and biting of their sick hunger trying to kill them with an animalistic fury that all bar Jaune were far too used to.

The man crouched down, his head tucked into his hands as he muttered unheard things and cried tears of pain.

Soon the Grimm were dead, but there were no triumphant grins or smiles; no joy was felt. Only… fatigue.

When the last of the Grimm hit the ground, all the young hunters except Jaune fell to one knee, their faces pained as a cold feeling slithered deep within their bodies.

"Guys?" Jaune questioned, moving closer to his new friends but still keeping the man in his line of sight. "What's wrong?" Surely they couldn't all be wounded? He couldn't see any blood…

"Jaune…!" Ruby whined, feeling the call of sloth on her body. "It's that guy, he's draining our aura…" she slumped to the ground, consciousness leaving her.

The Lord of Hunger shot to his feet, unseeing yellow eyes locking onto Jaune in an instant, "The hollows! They were here, empty things of the cold darkness… but the lights of the dead guided them to oblivion!"

Jaune gave what he hoped was an intimidating glare at the robed man, "Stop what you're doing! Your semblance is killing my friends!"

The pale man swooped past Jaune, his feet never touching the ground as his power supported him. "Friends? These are different. They are different…" his head snapped to look back into the empty clearing, "SHUT UP!" he roared to no-one, "NO! I WON'T!"

One by one the young hunters began to pass out, awareness finally leaving them as the power of the beast before them drained their souls away. "Jaune… stop him…" was the last thing Pyrrha said before she too faded into darkness.

Jaune stared aghast as his partner, the second strongest hunter he knew, passed out. With a cry of righteous anger, he swung his sword at the self-proclaimed lord.

The gleaming silver blade stopped.

The pale left hand of Nihilus gripped the sword delicately, and despite all the weight behind the attack Jaune felt and saw that the monster before him was hardly trying. He was indulging Jaune like one would a small child.

"Where did things change? Why are we different?" the man asked, sightless yellow eyes staring into Jaune's soul. "The silver and golden bird dominated the Beacon in my time… but you? I feel you… unbloodied, soft…"

Jaune shivered in disgust at the hungry look the creature was giving him, it was like he wanted something that only Jaune had.

"Why don't you wither like the other lights?" the lord suddenly asked, a feral grin splitting his features. "Their lights shine duller, and my appetite is whetted. But you stay, a delicious little morsel that has the strength to deny me my prize?"

"I d-don't know what y-you're talking about…" Jaune stuttered, his fear of the creature before him corroding his will.

The smile grew wider, "I wonder what you taste like, let's find out!" The smile turned sinister as Jaune felt the monster's hand slam into his chest.

Nihilus smiled.

Nothing happened.

The smile faded.

Jaune's eyes opened hesitantly; the creature stared at his hand in utter befuddlement. "I feel the shards of your soul, but I can't taste you…

Confusion shifted to joy in an instant, "I can touch you, my dear mortal vessel… I can touch you…"

"Umm… yay?" Jaune hedged his bets; maybe the guy was just having performance issues, best not to really push him.

Crocea Mors was flicked out of his hand and Jaune suddenly found himself locked in a bear hug that would have shattered his ribs if not for aura. A shout of joy escaped the mouth of the monster that held him, utter elation that seemed out of place on the tainted man.

But thankfully, it ended soon; the lord pulled back and stared him in the eyes with an intensity that Jaune had never seen before. "My sweet little shell…" his head snapped to the side to glare at nothing in particular, "Why? She is gone…" his gaze turned to Pyrrha on the ground, sightless yellow eyes looking at the Spartan with envy. "Mine is gone… lost to the hollows, this is but a reflection of what she can't be!"

Nihilus spun to look at empty space once again, sickly yellow eyes narrowed on an unseen person. "But why?"

His gaze snapped to Jaune once again, "My shell… do you feel it? The ache in your chest? The pain?"

Jaune was at a loss, what the hell was this guy talking about? His chest did kind of ache from where Nihilus had put his hand… maybe that was what he was asking? "Uh… yeah?"

The self-proclaimed lord seemed to wilt for a moment, but soon his face turned resolute once more. "Grab her." He pointed to the prone form of Pyrrha on the ground; the command was simple.

Jaune, not wanting to piss off the creature that had totalled a city block in Vale, quickly complied. He picked up Pyrrha and stared slightly fearfully towards the black-clad monster. "What now?"

The blind monster took a deep breath, "She thinks that I shouldn't feast, that my hunger is sated for the time being… I'm always hungry." He pointed one long, bony finger towards where the others were passed out, "But for you, my dear shell, I will leave them. I will let their lights leave to shine in the Beacon once more."

Jaune sighed in relief. Thank god, he wasn't going to hurt them…

Suddenly Nihilus was behind him, a trail of blackened and withered rose petals the only indicator of his movement. Was that Ruby's semblance? Oh god, he absorbed semblances too… "Hold tight my dear shell, or the Spartan will become a bird…"

Jaune had no idea what that meant but held Pyrrha as tight as he could anyway, best not to test the crazy guy who probably had a dozen different semblances right now...

In an instant two cold and bony hands locked under Jaune's armpits, and less than a second later Jaune flew.

 **A/N**

 **The Lord of Hunger is blind. But he can still see aura, a skill taught to him by Ozpin shortly after initiation… I love the irony in that.**

 **So… Nihilus can't absorb Jaune, and he seems to hold some affection for Pyrrha; which is weird considering that** _ **his**_ **Pyrrha impaled him. I am curious however, can anyone really decipher what Nihilus was getting at when he spoke about Pyrrha? I know he speaks mostly in riddles and allegory but the meaning is still there, hidden under layers of pain and questionable sanity.**

 **All that aside let's see the reviews:**

 **Guest:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **No you don't, but I like to hear it anyway.**

 **blaiseingfire:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Thank you, very kind.**

 **Smithrooks:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Yeah Jaune's mood played a role in his injury, but the chances of something happening were already pretty high anyway - Grimm infested forest and all that.**

 **Did Ozpin's teachings effect what Jaune became later? Without a doubt; Nihilus is a product of a dozen different things, but Ozpin teaching Jaune to see again was perhaps one of the single most important contributors to his semblance.**

 **Tobi14:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Saying he stepped into darkness is something of a misleading statement. Nihilus isn't 'evil', he certainly isn't a hero by any means, but he does everything for understandable reasons.**

 **And yeah, the unlocking chants do have an effect though it's a subtle one. Not any world bending or story shattering changes mind you, just a mild effect on the emotions of the recipient as well as the bond with the unlocker.**

* * *

 **Thanks again for reading, don't forget to leave a review!**


	7. Cold Light

Wraith

Chapter Seven

Beta: Smithrooks

Cold Light

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

Jaune couldn't help but feel a pang of nervousness as he stepped into the combat hall, the slight thrill of terror that ran up his spine when he saw all the lights in the room. Today would be his first lesson after being released from the infirmary. He'd spent plenty of time with his team… training… and for the most part, they were kind enough not to mention how his scars made him look.

But everyone else?

He knew how people, particularly teenagers, worked. He would no doubt get dozens of people telling him how ugly he was, how his scars disfigured his face and made him look like a freak. Already his team had told him not to smile too much because it made him look ghoulish.

The 'training' he'd gotten from his team was rather… painful. They had dragged him out into a secluded area behind the school and told him to fight them one at a time the best he could; apparently they weren't terribly confident in his combat ability after his rather underwhelming performance during initiation. After losing quite spectacularly in the mock fights, they had spent the rest of the week taking turns in 'teaching' him the basics of dodging and the like.

And there is no greater motivation to dodge than having a massive steel mace slammed into your face over and over again.

The dozens of different coloured lights of his fellow students flickered slightly when Jaune and the rest of WASB entered the room; perhaps it was in shock or surprise, Jaune couldn't really tell anymore - emotions were so terribly hard to understand, and yet so easy to see now.

People muttered and shifted around as Jaune and his team sat down, the different coloured lights each having an awkward feeling about them as Jaune surveyed the room. He knew they were talking about him from the way they shifted away from him and the way that they stared. They all probably thought he wouldn't notice; he'd taken to wearing a bandana around his eyes to help hide the scars and what Cardin called 'creepy pale eyes', but that didn't affect how he saw the world now. He could see everything in every direction for about 100 metres.

"Quiet!" The shining deep purple light in the centre of the room barked. This must be Professor Goodwitch. "The first fight for the day will be between Cardin Winchester of WASB and Russel Thrush of NRVR."

Jaune couldn't help but feel the slight stab of pain in his shoulder when team NRVR was mentioned, that was Pyrrha Nikos' team. She had speared him to a tree; she was partially responsible for all that had happened to him… Headmaster Ozpin had assured Jaune many times over that what had happened was a terrible accident, but Jaune wasn't sure. She had also tried to visit him, but Jaune had steadfastly refused to allow her close where she could finish the job. He never wanted to feel pain like what he had to endure ever again.

The two fighters stood in the arena, the dull silver that Jaune knew to be Cardin stood opposite the pale green aura of Russel. Both souls pulsed gently and seeped into the cold and lifeless metal of their weapons, a brutal mace and what Jaune could only assume were dual daggers of some kind.

"Begin!" the purple form of Goodwitch called.

The two lights clashed brilliantly; the finer aspects of the fight were lost on Jaune, but he could still appreciate the light show.

But Jaune's rising mood soured instantly, two people were making their way over to him in the stands. Judging by the general shape he'd say they were female, gods he hoped it wasn't Pyrrha.

"Jaune?"

The voice was delicate and weak, shaky from crying but still familiar to the blond boy. Ruby. She had such a deep red aura, so similar to the roses his mother used to have in the garden; but she also had two weird, silvery specks mixed with the crimson. Jaune had never seen anything like that before.

"Ruby?" Jaune asked, surprised the girl had remembered him. "What are you-"

Before he knew it he had been engulfed in a hug, Ruby's slight frame wrapping around him and the gentle sound of her tears mixing in with the sounds of the fight going on in the arena. "Oh Jaune, I am so so sorry… your poor face…"

Huh, his father had always told him that girls were more tactful than guys. Ruby just proved that wrong. Gently prying the younger girl off, Jaune did his best to avoid smiling; best not to upset her more with how ugly he now was. "It's okay Ruby, it's not as bad as it looks." A lie, he was blind and ugly now. But she didn't need to hear that. "I can still see. Ozpin taught me how."

The girl sniffed, no doubt her eyes were red and puffy from crying. She was going to say more, but the deep black and gold aura beside her interrupted. "Jaune, I-"

Oh god it was her, the voice that had haunted his nightmares. Pyrrha Nikos. "Back!" Jaune cried, pushing away from the girl and closer to his teammates who watched on. "Stay back!"

She would hurt him again, her spear would drive deeply into his chest this time and kill- "Jaune!" she called out sadly, thoroughly ignoring the people who had turned to see what was causing all the noise. "Jaune, please! I just want to talk to you, to apologise for what happened!"

Apologise? That couldn't be true, she had tried to kill him and she would probably try again. "No!" he hissed, trying to ignore the fear pulsing through his body. "You're just going to hurt me again!"

Her voice grew shaky, like she was on the verge of crying. "Please Jaune, I-"

"Enough!" Goodwitch shouted from the arena, "the winner is Cardin Winchester."

Jaune was grateful for the distraction; he inched further away from his would-be killer.

"In the future Mr Winchester, I would recommend that you telegraph your strikes less; a more skilled opponent wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of that weakness." The slightly duller aura of Cardin nodded, the dull silvery colour of his aura moving out of the arena and towards where the team sat.

"Jaune, please. It was a terrible accident-" Pyrrha tried once more, but this time she was cut off by Cardin as he approached from behind.

"Nikos," he grunted, sweat still trailing down his brow from the fight moments earlier. "Clear out already. He doesn't want to speak to you, not after what you did to him."

The black and gold aura of Pyrrha shifted to stare at Cardin, but before she could say anything Ruby spoke, "Hey, don't speak to her like that! She's just trying to apologise."

Cardin grunted again, "I don't care. As dumb as he is, he is still my teammate. Leave. Now."

Ruby went to say more, but the shining light of Pyrrha extended her hand and stopped the younger girl. "No… it's okay Ruby." Her voice was shaky, weak. Was she crying? Even through the crushing fear he felt a small pulse of guilt; he never wanted to hurt her. "We… we can speak later Jaune."

Without another word she and Ruby left, the light of their souls moving away from Jaune and his teammates to go sit with others that Jaune had never met before.

But Jaune didn't have long to catch his bearings after the ladies left; all too soon he heard his name being called out by Professor Goodwitch. "Mr. Arc!" her voice was like a whip, "You will be fighting Mr. Ren, please make your way to the arena."

Oh god… Lie Ren was one of the guys on Pyrrha's team, had she set things up like this? Was she going to get her teammate to finish the job? There was no way he could beat a guy like him, he'd had almost no combat training beyond what Cardin and the others had shown him…

Shakily, Jaune pushed himself to his feet, but before he could move anywhere he felt the large hand of Cardin clamp down onto his wrist. "Listen, Jauney boy," the armoured man muttered into his ear, "there is no way you can win this." Wow, this was the worst pep talk Jaune had ever heard. "But we don't need you to win, just trick everyone else into thinking you're not a total weakling." The larger boy forced several pointy things into his hands, they felt rough - crystals maybe? "When you get down there just force your aura into your hands and try not to explode."

Fire Dust then. What kind of advice was 'try not to explode'? That was like telling an asthmatic to breathe. But he was trying to help… sort of… "Thanks Cardin," Jaune said, trying his best not to smile - he knew how ugly that made him.

As Jaune made his way into the arena, he tucked all but one of the crystals into his sleeves, gods he hoped he didn't accidentally burst into flames...

All too soon, Jaune found himself standing on the faded colours of the arena tiles, opposite the garish pink-coloured aura of his opponent. Kind of girly now that he thought about it, but hey, who was he to judge?

"Begin!" Goodwitch cried, her deep purple aura standing just outside of the arena.

Jaune instantly saw his opponent move into action, tiny pinpricks of light that Jaune knew to be bullets speeding towards him in rapid succession.

But Jaune had been shot at all week with the training his team had given him, and this was nothing new. The blind boy pushed himself to the side and out of the path of the bullets, but he did nothing to counter - he had only practiced dodging after all.

Ren was quick to use Jaune's hesitation against him, however; the green gunman leapt towards the blind boy with the blades on his guns poised to slice into his chest.

'Seeing' the attack about to smash into him, Jaune did the only thing that came into his head - he followed Cardin's advice and _really_ hoped he didn't just explode. Aura poured into his hand and through the warm fire crystal he held. A fraction of a second later, a massive plume of heat and fire holding trace amounts of his aura shot outwards.

Ren was caught in the fire, only avoiding being instantly immolated thanks to his aura protecting him from the worst of the heat. He was blasted backwards; Jaune couldn't see the expression on his face, but he did hear the grunt of pain as the other boy slammed into the wall on the far side of the arena.

But Jaune's hand was also scorched; the flames licked at his palm and the intense heat burned through the thin layer of protection his aura offered. The blind blonde boy screamed as the fire burnt his hand, and in an effort to spare himself further pain he forced his aura into his hand again.

But he'd made a deadly mistake. His aura poured into the Dust crystal still in his hand as well as the ones he'd hidden in his sleeve. Another, much larger, plume of fire erupted outwards and the arena seemed to burn far easier than the stone tiles should have allowed.

Jaune screamed, but he also heard a scream that was not his own. On the far side of the arena Ren burned just as hotly as Jaune did, the Dust-fuelled fires eating away at anything they could reach.

It was too hot, everything burned. Jaune screamed in agony and anger over his apparent failure as the fires ate away at him.

But then an instant later the fires died, the deep purple aura of Professor Goodwitch utterly smothering them with her power. "Enough! The winner is Jaune Arc!"

What!? That couldn't be right! He had nearly burnt himself to a crisp, he couldn't have won that… no way…

"Team NRVR, collect Mr. Ren and take him to the infirmary for treatment." Jaune slumped to the ground, he was exhausted. Just how much aura had he poured into that? "Mr. Arc, in the future I suggest you keep far better control of whatever Dust you use - you did nearly as much damage to yourself as you did to Mr. Ren."

Holy crap he had actually won, it wasn't just a dream. He had actually beaten a trainee hunter in a fight! Granted, he had roasted himself in the process… but it was still a major sign that he was getting stronger!

Without even realising that he had been moving, Jaune found himself back in his seat with his team above the arena.

"Holy shit dude," Cardin laughed as Jaune sat down. "You set like the entire arena on fire down there, why didn't you say you were good with Dust?"

Good with Dust? What was Cardin talking about, that was the first time Jaune had ever used Dust in its raw form. "What do you mean Cardin?" he asked, his voice slightly croaky from all the smoke, "That was the first time I've ever used Dust."

His entire team turned to stare at him, their auras flickering in surprise at his statement. "No way could that have been your first time man," Sky said as his blue aura flickered slightly, "most people just explode or set themselves on fire the first time, not make massive plumes of fire like you did."

Jaune shook his head; that really was his first time. "Come on guys, really! I'd never so much as touched a Dust crystal before now."

"You're not lying," Cardin said in amazement, "that really was your first time."

"Yeah… and?" Jaune asked, not really knowing what they were getting at. Did he do something wrong?

"Dude," Dove said excitedly, "that means you must be pretty talented with Dust - meaning you don't need to spend years learning how to use that musty old sword of yours, you can just spend a couple weeks learning how to become a badass Dust-mage."

Abandon Crocea Mors? He couldn't do that could he? He'd stolen the sword just to come to this school, taken it during the night as he snuck out. Maybe this way he could send it back to his father? Maybe that would help ease some of the anger that the older man was no doubt feeling right about now.

But Crocea Mors had been the family weapon for years… passed down alongside Atra Mors for as long as the Arc family existed. And after the death of Tim Arc and the loss of Atra Mors during the Great War, Crocea Mors had become the primary family blade. His father had used it, his grandfather used it, his great grandfather had used it… would it really be right for him to choose a different weapon? Mastering the blade would no doubt take years of hard work and practice to even become proficient - but if Dove was right, and it would only take a few weeks to get good with Dust… he could fulfil his dream of becoming the best hunter in the world much faster.

But what kind of Arc would he be if he didn't use Crocea Mors? Would he actually be able to master the sword at all anymore? While aura did grant him his sight back, the finer points of things were forever lost on him - small details that made the difference between an expert and an absolute master. But Dust… if it was all like what he'd done in the arena, then it was basically just a matter of pointing his arms in the right direction and maintaining control.

Yeah… he'd seen some of the things Dust could do, hell, he'd just _felt_ some of things a few small crystals could do! He could become the strongest hunter ever in no time!

"Yeah," Jaune said at last, starting to like the idea. "I think I'm gonna do that."

He'd hold onto Crocea Mors for a little longer, just until he was powerful enough with Dust that he felt like he didn't need a shield to hide behind. Then he would personally return the sword to his father - let the older man see how strong he'd become. Strong enough that he didn't need the Arc family legacy to support him.

He would be the best…

* * *

 **Forever Fall, present day…**

The heavily armoured forms of the alternate team RWBY stepped into the clearing cautiously, absolutely ready to destroy the creature that they were searching for.

After their defeat in Vale, they'd been forced to wait until they regained their strength - something that was sadly becoming all too easy for the once proud huntresses. Normally it would be a good thing to be back at full capacity, but the issue laid in the fact that their maximum was gradually lowering. Weiss had another small fraction of her aura stolen for good, thus making the time it took her to recharge her aura smaller - because there was less to recharge.

All four of them had been fed on at some point, never enough to kill them or stop them from fighting. But they'd all lost parts of their souls to the monster they'd once known; semblances were weaker, lights duller… Ruby had the most aura left out of all of them, sitting somewhere around two thirds of her original capacity. Yang had the lowest, so low that she could hardly use her semblance anymore - she just couldn't take the physical punishment required to power it.

But that didn't mean they didn't fight. That monster had taken so much from them, but he had taken so much more from others. None of them would ever be able to forget what he'd done to Dorme, and later what he'd done to Beacon…

But that was in the past. They could still stop it from becoming the future of this place. This foreign world would never need to suffer what they had suffered.

But this time it seems like they were too late. As the four armoured girls stepped into the clearing, they were greeted with the sight of six prone bodies lying on the ground. Ruby quickly moved forwards to the nearest body, ready to assist if she could-

Oh god…

She rolled the unconscious form of Lie Ren onto his back and stared at him in horror. Quickly her eyes darted to each of the other prone bodies in turn, each being marked off in her mind. Her own team was here… the alternate version anyway. But where were the other two members of team NRVR? Ren and Nora were here, but Russel and Pyrrha were missing.

Team NRVR… they used to be close, but then they all… he did it. He was responsible for their deaths; and he would pay for it, even if it was the last thing she did.

But to see the faces of her dead friends… even if it was two of them… it was hard. They looked nearly exactly how she remembered them: Ren was a little shorter and he hadn't gotten that scar on his cheek yet, and even unconscious Nora looked vibrant - a life and energy that had been lacking in the years leading up to her death.

"Oh god, is that us?" The armoured Yang questioned as she drew up beside Ruby.

"Yeah, and it looks like Nihilus got here before we did," Blake commented, "they're lucky to be alive, why didn't he kill them? He'd know it was the other version of us."

"Pyrrha is missing," Weiss observed, "maybe that's why he spared them? You all remember how he and Pyrrha used to be…"

"But then where's Russel?" Ruby asked, "they never got along, not after that thing in Forever Fall."

"Remember what Ozpin said Ruby," Weiss chided lightly, "the teams turned out differently here, Russel probably never became Pyrrha's partner."

"But then who did? Our team seems the same, so it couldn't have been a massive shift," Blake remarked.

A groan stopped the conversation dead in its tracks; ever so slowly, the young hunters were beginning to wake up.

"What… what happened?" the younger Ruby asked in a complete daze.

The older Ruby stared at her younger self. This… this was going to be weird. "Hey there, take it slow," she said calmly, "first time exposure is the worst, but you'll feel better in a few minutes when your aura starts to come back."

"Aura…? Aura!" the younger one suddenly shouted, "That guy! He was here! He… did something…"

The armoured form of Yang nodded, "Yeah, we're the team responsible for bringing him in. Do you know what happened to your missing friends? Or where he went?"

The younger Ruby stared at the four armoured hunters before her dumbly for a moment, before her eyes darted around the clearing. "Oh no! He must have kidnapped Pyrrha and Jaune!"

Although it went unseen to the unarmoured hunters, the alternate team RWBY felt their jaws open in shock. Did she just say that he'd taken Pyrrha and _Jaune_? The Jaune? The blind guy that stole people's souls?

That's… there was no way he could be on a team with Ren, Nora and Pyrrha could he? That would leave him in prime position to strike the moment his semblance manifested! He could take them all out in a single moment!

But where was he? The evil bastard was probably off cavorting with his other self at this very moment… they needed to speak to Ozpin, see if he could find the Arc boy and help arrange the execution.

It was the safest way after all.

 **A/N**

 **Now before you all get up in arms about Jaune beating Ren, please think about it. Jaune didn't show any amazing skill or anything, no superpowers or magic abilities. No, he set himself on fire then made himself explode. Ren was just unlucky because he was caught in the blasts and thus his aura was drained. Using the same methods Jaune did I could kill anyone on the planet - and myself in the process. Jaune was just lucky he had aura to protect him.**

 **That aside, what did you all think of Jaune's reaction to Pyrrha? I'd say it's pretty natural, I'd be scared of someone if they impaled me. And what did you guys think of Jaune's decision to use Dust instead of Crocea Mors as his primary weapon? Not something done very often in the RWBY fandom I think, but it will be interesting to explore.**

 **And what did you all think of how the alternate version of RWBY reacted to Jaune being on a team with their friends? Kind of escalated quickly, but I suppose there is no gradual way to escalate to an execution is there?**

 **Let's see the reviews:**

 **Toddem Mach:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Whatever effect Nihilus had on the other Jaune was bound to come up eventually, Jaune just got lucky it involved him staying alive. As for what happened to Russel Thrush, well the main difference is that Jaune and Russel swapped places - meaning that Russel is now Pyrrha's partner.**

 **blaiseingfire:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Ha, glad I could help.**

 **Smithrooks:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Jaune is set for quite the journey, but he will grow from it. As for Nihilus' and Pyrrha… they have a long and complicated history ahead of them, the best and the worst times to experience.**

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading, and please remember to leave a review! Seriously** **, do leave a review; reviews are what inspire me to write more!**


	8. Death in The Family

Wraith

Chapter Eight

Beta: Smithrooks

Death in The Family

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

Jaune could honestly say that he loved his teammates. Sure, they were a bit… rough… sometimes, but they meant well.

Most of the time.

"Ow! That hurts!"

This… was not one of those times. Jaune had noticed that his teammates were slightly racist pretty quickly of course. How could you miss something like that? Today the focus of their ire was a rabbit Faunus girl; Cardin and the others were having a good time ruining her day by pulling her ears and barking out unimaginative racial slurs.

They had offered for him to join in on the 'fun', but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He didn't hate Faunus; he was fairly apathetic about them actually. But when looking at the warm, honey-coloured aura of the girl his team was harassing, he couldn't help but feel a stab of contempt. What a weak huntress she must be if she can't even stand up for herself. Hunters were meant to be pillars of strength and skill… not this.

Granted, he couldn't really comment about strength or skill given how poorly he did when he first faced Grimm. But the principal was the same; weak hunters died, all they loved died, all they protected died. Strong hunters lived, strong hunters were the pillars on which society was built upon.

Or so his father used to say anyway.

And his teammates _were_ strong, in their own ways. Cardin was a total tank, the guy could bench press like four of himself. The other two were tough as well, but Jaune was mostly interested in Cardin's might since he was his partner.

And soon, Jaune would be powerful too. After class the other day, the others had taken him into Vale to get some Dust; the amount purchased had a distinctly depressing effect on Jaune's wallet. He and the others had done some practice… well, they had hit him until he'd started dodging, and then they'd hit him until he started using the Dust against them.

Which is why his hands were currently bandaged. Who knew fire could burn people? Aura only protected you so much, and after spending hours shooting massive plumes of Dust-fuelled fire out of his hands his skin had begun to roast. It wasn't quite as bad as it sounded, it's not like he ever had to write anything down anymore - the one upside to being blind was that he'd never have to write an essay, _ever_.

But the pain was a major annoyance, the constant throb of the burns… you'd think he'd be used to pain by now, considering what happened in initiation. But before coming to Beacon he'd lived a fairly sedentary life, the worst pain he'd ever experienced being some like that time he'd accidently cut his finger while cooking.

But he'd never admit that of course, just like how he'd never admit that he forged his transcripts to get into Beacon. Cardin would probably string his guts around Beacon as Christmas decorations if Jaune ever admitted the truth, either that or just blackmail him horribly for the rest of his time at Beacon.

Or both, really.

But that didn't matter, because no one would _ever_ find out.

Jaune would make sure of that.

The sound of a frankly irritating bell rang throughout the school, snapping Jaune out of his thoughts and alerting all the students that the lunch break had ended. Jaune had history next, which was one of the easiest classes now since he never had to actually do anything beyond sit there and look semi attentive as the motor-mouthed professor jabbered away.

"Guys," the blind boy called out to his teammates, "c'mon, we have history now."

The Faunus girl was openly crying now, but she seemed deeply relieved when Cardin let go of her ear. The warm honey of her aura practically bolted once Cardin and the others moved away, probably to go complain to a teacher or something. It didn't really matter.

"I hate history class," Dove muttered as they got going, "Oobleck talks too much."

Jaune didn't comment. What was the point? He hardly ever had to do any actual work anymore, so anything he said about classes would be pretty shallow.

"Right?" Sky said as they walked through the semi-packed corridor, "The guy drinks way too much coffee, maybe he's trying to drink it all before Ozpin can get to it?"

Cardin and Dove snickered. Jaune made a weak attempt at laughing, his mind focussed on the deep black and gold aura he knew to be Pyrrha that trailed behind the group. She'd been following him near constantly, always apologising and begging forgiveness whenever he failed to get away in time.

His teammates seemed pretty apathetic about it - aside from a few lewd jokes - but Jaune knew it was a trick. It had to be. She speared him to a tree and now she wanted to finish the job, obviously she had been aiming for his throat or something and wanted him dead as soon as possible. No doubt she intended to do this by making him lower his guard around her, but he wouldn't let that happen. Never again.

Besides, sneaking up on him was sort of impossible now; he could see in every direction and was _painfully_ aware of what Pyrrha's aura looked like. If she came within 200 metres of him he'd know.

They entered the class and found their seats in the upper rows. The professor was already there, slurping his coffee like he'd been stuck on a desert island for a month. His greenish-yellow aura shone brightly, almost radiantly as he drank his favourite beverage in the world.

The last of the students trickled into the room, including Pyrrha. Every few moments she turned to look at him, but he was already beginning to feel drowsy as the professor yammered away. Nikos wouldn't try anything while they were in a room full of other students as well as a professor, so it was relatively safe just to doze.

But his teammates didn't have the luxury of not being able to write assignments, and they, mainly Cardin, believed that if they were going to suffer through the lesson then so would he. Every few minutes, just as Jaune felt himself falling asleep, Cardin flicked him in the back of the head.

The cruel bastard. Sleep was a wonderful thing, the utter lethargy… glorious.

But the glorious lethargy was oh so rudely interrupted… if only, if only...

"Just prior to the Faunus Rights Revolution, more popularly known as the Faunus War, humankind was quite, quite adamant about centralising the Faunus population in Menagerie." Oobleck rambled as he darted around the room, but Jaune wasn't really listening. What was the point?

"Now! While this must seem like ancient history to many of you, it is imperative to remember that these are relatively recent events. Why, the repercussions of the uprising can still be seen to this day!" Nope, Jaune didn't really do a whole lot of 'seeing' anymore, so this didn't apply.

"Now have any among you been subjugated or discriminated against because of your Faunus heritage?" The green-haired professor asked, and Jaune noted with mild surprise that several people in the room put their hands up. All these young hunters had been bullied? How depressing it was, that the next generation was too weak to stand up for themselves...

"Dreadful, simply dreadful!" Oobleck cried upon seeing the hands, "Remember students it is precisely this kind of hatred that breeds violence. Just look at what happened to the White Fang!" White Fang? Weren't they some terrorist organisation? Why hadn't hunters gone and put them down yet?

"Now which one of you young scholars can tell me what many theorists believe to be the turning point in the third year of the war?"

A cold-looking aura, icy and rigid, was the one to answer. "The battle of Fort Castle." The voice was sharp, but smug at the same time.

From across the room, Jaune pondered the cold aura of the girl that had answered the question. She was sitting next to Ruby, perhaps she was her partner? Poor Ruby. He'd noticed that the shape and composition of someone's aura tended to give a vague approximation of how a person might act; Cardin's was blunt and hard, Professor Goodwitch's was rigid yet supple at the same time, Ozpin's was like a deep green maze…

But Pyrrha's aura… she was the exception. Her aura was… warm, but distant. Like a deep melancholy hidden behind a veil of cheer.

"Precisely!" the yellowish-green aura of the professor cried, "And who can tell me the advantage the Faunus had over General Lagune's forces?"

No one answered the question; Jaune himself didn't even know the answer. Binoculars perhaps?

"Hmm. Most disappointing that none of you wish to answer!" He didn't actually sound disappointed, "How about you Mister Winchester? Perhaps you would care to share your thoughts on the subject?"

Jaune 'watched' as Cardin's silvery aura jerked in place, did he know the answer? Even if he didn't, Cardin would no doubt think of something; he was always saying how the team had to appear strong and intelligent. That they couldn't accept being anything less than the best team among all the first years.

Granted, he usually said that when expressing his disappointment over having such a weak partner, but the principle was the same.

"Well," The beefy boy started, "I know it's a lot easier to train an animal than a soldier."

Witty, cruel and probably untrue. But at least Cardin didn't shame himself by admitting he didn't know the answer.

Jaune watched as the professor's aura flickered slightly, perhaps in disappointment? Jaune didn't really know, he wasn't very good at reading people's emotions through aura yet.

"You're not the most open minded of individuals, are you Cardin?"

The voice rang out from the other side of the room, and Jaune froze instantly. That was Pyrrha. What was she doing? If she angered him... well, she didn't have to suffer through his training, she wouldn't have to feel the rage-fuelled blows of his mace slamming into her face over and over again…

"What?" Cardin barked, "You got a problem?"

"No, I have the answer." She sounded so sure, damn her! Continuing to make his life difficult. "It's night vision. Many Faunus are known to have nearly perfect sight in the dark."

Beside him Cardin growled, and Jaune could already feel the bruises forming from the 'training' he would no doubt get for this.

A new voice spoke up, a purple aura continuing off from where Pyrrha had started. "General Lagune was inexperienced, and made the mistake of trying to ambush the Faunus in their sleep; his massive army was outmatched and the General was captured." The voice turned just a touch smug, "Perhaps if he'd paid attention during class, he wouldn't be remembered as such a failure."

In an instant Cardin was on his feet, bashing Jaune to the side in the process. The blind Arc tumbled to the ground silently and bore the slight pain; after all, Cardin had already done so much for him, it would be wrong for him to speak out against his partner.

"Mr. Winchester sit down." The voice of Oobleck sounded so utterly disappointed in Cardin, which would no doubt just make him angrier... "You can see me after class for additional readings."

Oh boy… Training would certainly be rough today. Jaune watched as Cardin's aura shook with anger but complied with the teacher's command. All that anger had to go somewhere, and sadly Jaune already knew who the target would be…

* * *

 **Dorme, present day…**

Jaune was dropped to the ground with a dull thud as Nihilus landed.

They had been flying for hours, and Jaune had held onto Pyrrha for dear life the entire trip. They had passed the outer walls of the city and Jaune had tried to convince his captor to help the hunters against the Grimm attacking the city, but the black-robed man had just stared at him with his blank yellow eyes and said, "My dear shell, I see nothing. The lights fight only the air."

Jaune had no idea what that had meant, and despite his pleading to be let down the beast had just continued flying.

Until now, that is.

Jaune let Pyrrha's unconscious form slide to the ground as he got to his feet unsteadily. Why had the Lord of Hunger brought him here? What did the creature want? "You-" whatever he was going to say was quickly blocked when he finally took note of their surroundings. "Why… why did you bring me here?" Jaune demanded to Nihilus, his eyes wide as he stared at his surroundings.

They stood on a small hill that overlooked a quaint town. Jaune recognized every inch of it, he had grown up here after all. This was Dorme.

The cobbled streets and the small cottages… he had spent his entire life here. Playing with his sisters and the other village children, running through the streets doing things he no longer cared to remember.

Nihilus looked at him, sickly yellow eyes seemingly peering into Jaune's very soul. "This is where you belong," he declared, "you and she, not like me and her." A look of deep sadness etched its way onto its face.

But all too soon the sadness was replaced with burning anger, a fury that seeped off his form and radiated malice. "She did nothing wrong!" he screamed to himself, hands clutching the sides of his head in apparent agony even as rage overtook him. "She was being kind! I was the Gleam Eyes, I was the beast!" his yells turned to pained whispers, the rage from moments ago evaporating in an instant. "She was just being kind… why did… why did she have to go? Why was she taken?"

Jaune didn't know what to say, what was he talking about? He couldn't be talking about Pyrrha, could he? That was impossible, maybe he was talking about someone he used to know?

Someone he used to love.

Jaune opened his mouth to say something, but a questioning shout from behind him drew his attention away. Jaune turned; standing on the road nearest to them was a small crowd of people. All of them were pointing at him and Nihilus, whispers and mutters circulating through the entire group.

"Jaune!" He recognized the voice of course, how could he forget his own father? Growing up with John Arc as your father wasn't something that was easily forgotten.

Standing at the front of the crowd was a middle-aged blonde man; stress lines marked his face and his dark green eyes were crinkled with worry upon seeing Jaune. "Jaune!" he cried again, "Get away from him!"

Jaune's blue eyes snapped back to stare at Nihilus, carefully watching the insane man for any kind of reaction. But instead Jaune only saw the self-proclaimed lord nod encouragingly, as if prompting Jaune to follow his father's command.

Ever so slowly Jaune crept backwards, grabbing Pyrrha as he did so. He only stopped moving when he felt his father's hand come to rest on his back, stopping him.

"Stay back." The words were whispered roughly in his ear.

Before Jaune had time to really question what the hell was going on, he felt John snatch Crocea Mors from his hip and leap forwards so he was between the villagers and Nihilus. "Lord of Hunger!" John shouted, voice powerful and strong. "You attacked my son and you attacked Vale. Your crimes cannot go unpunished."

Nihilus was utterly impassive to the sword pointed at his face; his sickly yellow eyes didn't even blink. "Son? Yes… I had a father once." The words were calm and slow, almost as if he was trying to calm a frightened animal. "So long ago. He and I are one now. I feel his power in my veins, just as I feel yours."

John frowned but didn't react otherwise; he kept his family blade pointed at the kidnapper. "Leave this place or be destroyed!"

"Destroyed?" Nihilus questioned, yellow eyes gleaming in the sunlight. "I am the destroyer, the vanquisher… but it doesn't matter, none of it matters anymore."

John's frown deepened, his face turning resolute. "Very well, make peace with your makers." He raised his sword skywards, prepared to swing-

"Well look what we have here!"

The voice rang out too loudly, stopping everyone dead in their tracks.

Stepping out of the nearby trees was a heavily armoured form, the black metal shining dully in the sunlight. "I just came to set up some cameras so we could find you Nihilus," the voice was acidic, bitter. "But to my surprise, you're already here! If only the others weren't off setting up their own surveillance equipment, they could join me in the slaughter."

Nihilus spat in sudden anger, his blind eyes darting around to stare at nothing in particular. "I won't allow her to do this, Yang Xiao Long will DIE before I let her be taken away again."

John looked between the arguing parties with thinly veiled concern. He couldn't let the fight spill into the village; the damage would be catastrophic. "What are you doing?" he demanded of the armoured being, "Don't get him angry!" He'd seen the news reports in Vale, the damage this man had caused. That could not be allowed to happen here.

But Yang wasn't listening, more excited by the prospect of finally ending the beast of her nightmares. "I will kill you for what you've done, but before that I'm going to kill that whore of yours. Just so you get the pleasure of watching her die twice."

Nihilus roared in utter fury, and an instant later he had slammed his pale fist into the armoured helmet of Yang with enough force to cause a small earthquake, punting Yang back into the trees behind her.

John gaped at the speed that Nihilus displayed; only the most powerful of hunters could reach that kind of speed. Just what was this freak? For one that looked so young to be so powerful… he'd seen Ozpin's warning on the television of course, but to see it in person… John knew when he was outclassed.

But John didn't have even a moment longer to contemplate the speed of Nihilus, as less than a second later a dozen fiery flares shot outwards and rocketed towards the pale lord. The whizzing and burning of the flares set the nearby trees alight, the crackling wood of the ancient forest roasting from Yang's attack.

The rounds connected just as Nihilus raised his hands to protect his eyes, and an instant later the explosion rocked the ground and sent nearly all of the onlookers tumbling. Only John remained standing, and it only took him one second to decide his course of action.

He turned and ran, all the while shouting to the floored villagers to get the hell away. If they stayed they would all die, John could see that now. These two… whoever they really were, whatever their personal issues, the fight was going to be disastrous. They were too close to the village, if even a single one of those flares had gone into the village proper…

No, best to evacuate now.

"Run!" John shouted, waving his arms and Crocea Mors around to get the villagers' attention. "Get to the other side of the village! We can flee from there!"

Nihilus brushed off the explosion like it was nothing, hardly pausing to spit out some ash before his blind eyes focussed on Yang once more. "I've tasted you before, fury clouded with regret. This time I will devour ALL of you!"

Nihilus jerked his arms outwards and a wave of fire spread from him, the intense burning heat searing away the front row of trees in an instant. But Yang weathered the assault, the fire washing over her power-armoured form like it was nothing more than a breeze.

"You call that an attack?" the girl demanded, "I've seen you burn away entire towns, don't hold out on me now you freak!"

The Lord of Hunger snarled and dashed forwards, anger clouding his mind even as flames wreathed his fists.

Yang let out a bark of laughter as she leapt over his swinging fists and punched him in the side of the head with her power-armour assisted strength. Blood spurted out of a cut on his head even as he staggered backwards, a snarl crossing his features.

But Yang didn't let up; spinning on the spot, she swung her leg down and smashed it into his face, deepening the cut on his forehead. With a grunt, she finished her combo off by uppercutting him brutally in the chin so hard that it lifted him a dozen feet into the air before he crashed to the ground.

Nihilus moaned in agony from the ground, but Yang wouldn't let up, kicking him savagely in the gut. "Heh, you're getting weak. You haven't replenished your strength fully since coming here, and you're starving you freak."

Nihilus hissed, but didn't say anything.

"I bet you hardly had the strength to fly here." Deep, malicious amusement stained Yang's voice, "It hurts doesn't it, that feeling of utter weakness, the crushing realisation of your own mortality! That's how the rest of us felt! That's how my father felt when you murdered him!"

She swung her leg for a vicious kick to his guts, the blow containing more than enough force to shatter steel and tear the mightiest of buildings asunder.

But right at the very last moment Nihilus caught her leg, all the momentum bleeding out in an instant as he clamped down on the armoured limb. With a furious yell he shoved her backwards, punting her to the ground with a harsh kick as he rose to his feet. "You don't know!" he cried in fury, "You think you know pain? You think you know suffering?! You know NOTHING!"

Nihilus swung his leg outwards in a kick, but Yang deftly rolled under the attack despite her armour. As she rose to her feet she launched a series of vicious punches to his midsection, all of which he swatted away before they could reach him; but he missed the last attack, and Yang's fist slammed into his face with a metallic slap against his pale flesh.

The fallen Arc snarled in fury and flicked blood off his face from the cut on his head, his expression twisted in hatred. With a snarl on his lips he charged forwards and swung his fist at Yang once again, but she dodged easily and hammered him on the head once again.

But pain was already a constant for him, and the blow only served to heighten his anger. With a howl of rage, his pale fist slammed into the faceplate of her helmet.

Yang staggered back for a moment but was soon back in the fray, utterly ignoring the raging fires that destroyed the area around them. She swung her legs around in a crushing overhead kick, only for Nihilus to duck under the blow and slam both of his fists into her gut.

Air exploded out of her lungs as she was winded, leaving her utterly breathless but not defenceless.

Nihilus swung both his hands downwards, but Yang caught the attack and rolled around until his arm was forced into a painful lock. Then in one fluid motion, she kicked him in the side as hard as she could while still holding onto his arm, the result was a sickening sounding pop as the arm was dislocated.

Without even a flinch, Nihilus rose to his feet and forced his arm back into the socket. "She wants to hurt you, both of them do. You cause us pain! You can't do that! I was going to be the best! I COULD HAVE BEEN THE BEST HUNTER TO EVER LIVE!" he screamed in her face, "And what are you!? The little girl who failed!"

Yang snarled and charged forwards, but Nihilus was ready; his hands lashed out and bashed her across the helmet twice before she could mount any defence. Following up the vicious strike, he swung both hands downwards with all his waning strength.

Just in the nick of time Yang managed to catch the attack, the ground underfoot cracking and being blown away from the sheer force.

"What you did was unforgivable!" Yang snarled as she struggled, "We did what was necessary!"

Nihilus' features twisted hatefully, but he didn't have a chance to react further because Yang swung around and twisted his arm behind him, locking it into place.

The Lord of Hunger snarled in utter fury, "Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!" he roared.

Ignoring what was no doubt terrible pain, he forced himself to spin around and with his free hand Nihilus grabbed the girl by the throat.

Yang immediately let go of his arm so she could attempt to free herself from his grasp, struggling with both her hands against his fury-powered strength.

"They won't stop!" he screamed, more to himself than anyone else, "Make them stop!"

Yang punched him in the gut, and there was a wet sound as her shotgun gauntlet fired; but Nihilus showed utterly no reaction.

Yellow eyes gleamed even as blood gushed down his face, hunger and pain strewn across his features. "This is your end," he whispered.

Before Yang could react Nihilus opened his mouth wide and a massive plume of fire shot outwards, completely covering her sight and burning her helmet.

Yang screamed in agony as the fire seared through her helmet and splashed across her face, the unimaginable pain clouding her every thought as she felt herself roast.

But just as utter and consuming darkness closed around her vision, the fire died and Nihilus let go of her throat.

But Yang was finished. She dropped to the ground bonelessly, what little remained of her mutilated soul hardly keeping her alive.

Clutching the bloody wound on his stomach, Nihilus knelt down over Yang's face and stared at her with his unseeing eyes. "I understand why she did what she did," he whispered as he placed his pale and bloody hand on the dying girl's forehead. Instantly, her already charred skin began to blacken and die as her soul was sucked out, her once beautiful lilac eyes turning into empty white orbs. "I just wish she hadn't," The fallen Arc whispered as the girl finally died.

Yang Xiao Long was dead.

But the victory was a bitter one. Fire raged around the sole figure of Nihilus, the village charred and smoking from the intense flames, and the villagers nowhere in sight.

The Lord of Hunger had failed.

 **A/N**

 **So… that happened.**

 **The alternate Yang has died, what a terrible shame. I know quite a few of you are probably thinking that Yang would never act that way, but out of all the members of the alternate team RWBY she is the one who lost herself in her hatred the most - rightly so too, given what Nihilus has done. The younger Yang is still alive of course, though she and the others won't be playing a large role until later when things start to come to a head.**

 **If any of you are wondering why Nihilus went from being able to take on all of RWBY to struggling with Yang, well, the answer was actually stated above. He was practically starved, making the jump between worlds isn't exactly easy for him, and the way Nihilus tends to fight leans towards obscene displays of power at the expense of personal energy.**

 **That aside, let's look at the reviews:**

 **Toddem Mach:** **  
Thanks for reviewing.  
It's pronounced team 'never', and Russel is the first R since he is partners with Pyrrha. I actually struggled quite a bit to get a decent team name for them, who knew it would be so hard?**

 **I have never actually seen another RWBY story where Jaune became a Dust mage, so I thought it would be pretty original for me to do it. So far the reaction has been positive, so I think it's turning out pretty well.**

 **Smithrooks:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
Yeah, the alternate team RWBY is kinda messed up... but think of it from their point of view, or think about it later when you have more information. They are lashing out like a dying animal, they're mostly just afraid of being hurt again. Ozpin will ponder the matter with a much less bias opinion, but he will do what he thinks he must to protect Vale - good or evil.**

 **Ah... the history between Nihilus/Jaune and Pyrrha is a long and sad one, a tragedy through and through. But I suppose that's sort of a given when looking at what Jaune turned out to be.**

 **Also the way Cardin treats Jaune is mildly better, this shows that Cardin isn't a total arse.**

 **And yeah, I've never read a full blown 'Jaune the Dust user' story either, but I thought it would be cool to explore. Even more so given that he will be using Dust in a very different way to how other characters use it; interestingly I have noticed that all canon characters only ever use Dust as a secondary weapon, or a supplement for a gun. Whereas Jaune/Nihilus will be a full blown Dust-mage to the point of excluding other things.**

 **hirshja:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
Eh, the alternate team RWBY isn't exactly the most level-headed of teams, they are mostly acting out of hurt and fear. And how could they know about his lack of training? His display during initiation was shameful yes, but he beat Ren pretty quickly. At this point he really is more of a puzzle to them, weak or strong? But I suppose you'll just have to wait and see.**

 **Le MAO XVII:  
Thanks for reviewing... twice...  
Yeah, the idea of killing Jaune just because he could become another Nihilus... not cool. But while I agree with you, think about it from their point of view: they would feel extremely betrayed by what they see as a trusted friend (we haven't quite gotten to that yet) turning around and betraying them in a way that can never be taken back. Nihilus has killed hundreds through his actions and hurt many more, the alternate team RWBY is effectively lashing out like a wounded animal that is distraught and in pain.**

 **Ozpin is too rational to just up and say "yup, that's cool, just go kill one of my students." He may do things you don't agree with, but not without reason and careful forethought.**

 **And of course it's not just the semblance, the history of 'evil Jaune' given to Ozpin in chapter 2 by RWBY was a butchered and** _ **extremely**_ **bias account of something they knew** _ **very**_ **little about. Bearing in mind that 'evil Jaune' is in his late twenties/early thirties, with the exception of Ruby the alternate team RWBY has absolutely no idea what actually happened to Jaune other than 'he went nuts and started eating people.'**

 **In regards to the unlocking of aura, that is a very good point you bring up. But for the sake of spoilers I will refrain from saying too much, though I daresay that you will be keeping all of those virtual cookies of yours.**

* * *

 **Thanks for reading, and leave a review!**


	9. The Way I Used to Be

Wraith

Chapter Nine

Beta: Smithrooks

The Way I Used to Be

 **Dorme, present day…**

Jaune could admit that he'd done some epically stupid things during his life, like going to Beacon with almost no prior training for example, but this had to take the cake.

When the fight between Nihilus and the armoured hunter had broken out, Jaune had followed his father's command like the rest of the villagers and began to flee, taking Pyrrha with him as he did so.

But… for some stupid, utterly idiotic reason, he had turned back.

That hunter… something was wrong, she had seemed… off somehow. Jaune knew that Nihilus couldn't be trusted, but his gut told him that the armoured huntress was the primary threat, not the Lord of Hunger.

It was wrong, totally and inexplicably wrong, but Jaune trusted Nihilus more than the huntress.

He had heard the vile things she had said to him before the fight started. Hunters weren't supposed to act like that. Hunters were supposed to be beacons of light and goodness to blot out the darkness of the Grimm, but she… no. She wasn't a huntress, not really.

Pyrrha had awoken as he started running. She was still drowsy and weak, but he had tried to explain what had happened as best he could.

Jaune wasn't totally sure she understood everything, but she knew enough for now.

Enough to join him in his utterly stupid, idiotic, dumb plan. He honestly couldn't ask for a better partner; it had only been two days since he met her, and already she was willing to leap headlong into horrific danger with him. Why she did this he would never understand, but right at this very moment he could honestly say he loved her for it.

He was going back to Nihilus, he was going to help if he could.

His gut told him it was the right thing to do, even if his brain screamed at him that it was incredibly moronic.

He and Pyrrha had just slipped out of the group of running villagers; behind them a massive inferno raged through the once peaceful village of Dorme, the fire burning down the work of countless lifetimes in just a few short minutes.

His father still held Crocea Mors, but that was okay. Jaune had stolen the sword when he snuck out for Beacon, it was only fair that John steal it back at some point. Jaune had just hoped that it would take a lot longer.

Behind him, Pyrrha coughed and choked as they circled around the village. He was only spared this by his still full aura reserves, although the air was blisteringly hot to breathe nonetheless.

"Jaune!" Pyrrha choked out, the burning ash and heat almost too much. "There!" she pointed to what had once been the tree line. Vaguely through the smoke, Jaune saw two blurry dark shapes that looked like people.

But they were close, and one had their hand clasped around the other's throat in a vice grip. The other struggled in vain against their captor, but the effort was made utterly moot a moment later when a scathing plume of fire burst out of the mouth of who Jaune assumed to be Nihilus.

Jaune and Pyrrha moved closer as fast as they could, but their progress was slow because of the heat of the air and excess of ash around them.

Just as they reached the self-proclaimed lord, they saw him place his hand upon the already charred and burnt forehead of the girl. Whatever she used to look like had been mostly wiped away by the scorching heat of his breath attack, but faint traces remained; lilac eyes, faint wisps of blonde hair.

But all that was washed away as her skin blackened and rotted, the last of her aura sucked out and the last dregs of her soul leaving her as she died.

"Nihilus!" Jaune shouted, not really sure what else to say. "We have to get out of here!"

The black-robed figure of Nihilus collapsed to the ground, and finally Jaune got a better look at the front of him. He was covered in blood, a deep cut on his forehead gushing away despite the heat and what looked like a dozen bullet wounds on his stomach. But he was still awake despite it all, his sickly yellow eyes drowsy and half lidded, but still open.

"Okay world, do your fucking worst," Nihilus snarled weakly to the empty air, "Cause I sure as hell just did mine." But then he seemed to notice Jaune, and his snarl faded into a weak cough as he choked. "My shell… Why did you return?"

Jaune honestly didn't know that himself, why had he come back? The world would be better off if Nihilus died here. But Jaune just couldn't do that… for whatever stupid reason he just… couldn't let someone die alone, consumed by the world around them.

"The gold and black light is here too…" Nihilus whispered almost reverently, "She looks so much younger… Pyrrha… Pyrrha… I'm sorry…" he cried, "can you hear me Pyrrha? I've failed you… you trusted me and I've failed you…"

From behind Jaune, Pyrrha stiffened in shock; how did he know she was here? He hadn't even looked in her direction, and what was he talking about? Had they met before?

Despite feeling a crushing weariness in her bones and spirit, Pyrrha knelt down beside the fallen lord. "Hey…" she said awkwardly, not really sure what to say. "You didn't fail…"

Jaune nodded from beside his partner, his hands pressed onto the bloody wounds on Nihilus' stomach to try and stop the bleeding. "Nihilus… the fire… can you put out the fire?"

"I… I…" the blind man struggled with his words, then he closed his eyes and for an instant Jaune feared that he'd died… but then the raging inferno around them began to die, the fires just fading out of existence as Nihilus exerted his will over them.

Pyrrha reached out her hand to touch Nihilus' arm, but in that instant his eyes snapped open and he shouted; "No! I- I can't! Not again!"

Jaune and Pyrrha shared an alarmed glance, but before they could Nihilus began shouting again. "NO! She's coming! Why now?!"

What the hell was he talking about? Jaune and Pyrrha both had no idea; his mad shouting was doing little more than attracting Grimm. But he said that 'she' was coming, who was she?

"Nihilus, what are you talking about?" Pyrrha questioned gently, trying to stave off the growing call of sloth on her mind. Just being near Nihilus was draining her so quickly; she couldn't do this for much longer… "Who is 'she'?"

But instead of answering her question, Nihilus turned his blind gaze to Jaune, his focus so intense that Jaune couldn't help but shift uncomfortably. "Listen to me my shell, if we're still here when she arrives then we are all dead." This was the most coherent that they'd ever heard him, was the threat that serious? "We must go, but it will hurt. It will hurt so much, and I haven't the power to maintain myself once we arrive. You must take us underground, do you understand?"

Jaune was totally lost. Arrive? Were they going somewhere? And why would it hurt? "What? I don't-"

But Nihilus cut him off, "UNDERGROUND!" he shouted, "YOU MUST TAKE US UNDERGROUND!"

Pyrrha stared at Jaune, "What is he talking about?" she asked, "I don't understand."

But anything else that could be said was cut off when Nihilus let out an unearthly scream of pure unrelenting agony, his hands shaking as he pushed outwards away from the two young hunters.

Light seemed to fade from the area around them. Everything grew dark as a single… tear… appeared before Nihilus' outstretched hand. Soon the entire world around them was utterly devoid of any illumination, darkness stretching outwards for what felt like an eternity.

But a single, burning purple light shone in the darkness. It was like a tear that hung in the air before them, and inside the tear... a thousand different images played at once, all mixing together into a chaotic mess that was utterly impossible to make any sense of.

And still Nihilus screamed, his hands shaking as he fed more power into the tear he had created.

A moment later he turned to the two slack-jawed onlookers, his face twisted into an expression of unimaginable torment and agony. "Run!" he shouted at them, "Into the Rift now!"

Pyrrha and Jaune stared at him, uncomprehending as to what they were looking at. Jaune tried to speak, but no sound escaped him; he took a step forwards, but he crossed no distance. What was happening? What…

Then it happened. It felt like a pulling feeling behind his navel, and he found himself hurtling into the smallish purple tear. He was dully aware of Pyrrha going through the same thing behind him, but all too soon his mind was taken up with other things.

Pain.

So intense, so real, so unlike anything he had ever experienced in his life before. He felt as if he had no body, and that something deep inside his soul was screaming out in terror and unimaginable agony as a blackened and silent void overtook him.

He tried to scream, but he had no mouth to do so. He tried to cry, but he had no eyes either.

A discordant wailing rang through his mind, his own soul screaming alongside the noise that he somehow knew to be Pyrrha.

But then it all stopped. All the pain vanished in an instant, and Jaune felt his body return to him.

He crashed to the ground a second later, his face connecting with hard unyielding stone as he returned to Remnant.

Behind him two similar crashes rang out, and without even looking at his surroundings Jaune spun around to see Pyrrha forcing herself to her feet, a look of bone-deep fatigue marring her features.

But beside her… there was almost no describing what condition Nihilus was in. He was unconscious, but his face was twisted into a expression of complete torment as his skin blistered and boiled, pale flesh falling from the bone and being repaired over and over again in a terrible cycle of pain.

Jaune rushed to his side to see if he could help in some way, but Pyrrha stopped him. Her hand grabbed his arm in an instant, "Jaune, look around us."

Jaune's blue eyes lingered on Nihilus for a moment, but then he obeyed Pyrrha's command, and his eyes finally took note of where they were.

They were still in Dorme, but it was all wrong… the entire village looked like it had been a ruin for _years,_ not mere minutes as it should be. Lesser Grimm prowled the broken streets, and the land for miles was utterly desecrated. Carrion birds poked their beaks at skeletons that littered the ground, looking for a meal that had long since rotted away by the passage of time.

The burnt forest clearing they should have been in was gone, replaced by hard stone and utterly lifeless dirt.

"What…?" Jaune didn't understand, what had happened? What the hell was going on?

A howl drew his attention; the Grimm had picked up the scent of fresh blood.

"Underground…" Jaune whispered, "We have to go underground!" Nihilus had known this would happen… that's why he told Jaune to go underground! Jaune tugged at Pyrrha's arm as he moved forwards to pick up the prone form of Nihilus. "Come on, we have to go! There should be an abandoned mineshaft near here, we can hide in there!"

He let go of Pyrrha and picked up Nihilus, ignoring the slick feeling of blood on his hands.

Pyrrha nodded, and they started moving.

* * *

 **Forever Fall, many years ago…**

There hadn't actually been a massive beat down of a training session like Jaune had feared.

In the week following that history lesson, Cardin hadn't actually bothered trying to train Jaune at all; the larger teen had practically spent all his free time thinking up ways to shame Nikos for the things she had said.

Why Cardin never showed this kind of dedication to anything else was lost on Jaune. Sure Pyrrha had given him an absolute verbal smackdown, but at least she hadn't impaled him.

Currently they were at Forever Fall collecting sap for Professor Peach; it was meant to be a team-building exercise or something, but Cardin had decided that now was the perfect time for revenge.

Why he decided that revenge was best taken in the middle of a Grimm-infested forest was beyond Jaune.

Currently they had him playing lookout for Grimm while they collected the necessary sap to complete Cardin's rather dubious plan. The plan being to throw a jar of Grimm-attracting sap at her and then set a boxful of Rapier wasps on her of course. Rapier wasps were arguably the weakest type of Grimm on the planet, so weak that they were basically just a normal wasp but black and white instead of yellow.

Even ignoring the questionable decision of getting the blind guy to watch for danger, the whole plan was dumb, and Jaune knew it. But Cardin just didn't want to hear it.

Although getting him to play look out did make sense in a twisted, ironic sort of way. Despite being blind, Jaune technically had the best sight in the team; he could see through walls, he could see in every direction…

But right now he didn't actually see anything he'd associate with a Grimm.

He could see the lights of life he knew to be plants, he could even see small animals and mundane creatures… but no Grimm. He saw souls, and Grimm were soulless as he understood it - so he expected to see an absence, like a blank spot where nothing was but stuck out anyway due to the lack of anything in a world so full of everything.

Instead he saw… nothing. Maybe more experienced hunters had come and cleared the forest before they had arrived? That would make sense, you wouldn't want to risk the next generation of hunters dying early.

But errantly, a terrifying thought just wouldn't leave Jaune alone; what if he just couldn't see Grimm?

It was silly, why would Ozpin have allowed him to stay at Beacon if he would never be able to see the monsters he was supposed to fight? But despite the utter irrationality of the notion, it just wouldn't leave Jaune alone.

"You guys ready?" Cardin asked, holding a full jar of sap in his hands. "I'll throw the sap on three. One, two-"

"Guys," Jaune sighed, already thoroughly over Forever Fall. "we have company."

Jaune had memorised the colour and composition of the aura of everyone on Pyrrha's team, mostly out of paranoia admittedly. So it was with mild surprise that Jaune noticed the pale green aura of Pyrrha's partner moving towards them quickly. What was his name again? Russel Thrush or something? It didn't really matter.

Whatever the boy wanted he was doing alone, Pyrrha and the rest of team NRVR were still over with team RWBY.

"You!" the boy shouted when he entered their clearing, finger pointing at Jaune. "I have a bone to pick with you!"

Cardin and the other two members of the team moved to stand beside Jaune; to an outsider it may seem like an act of team unity, but Jaune knew it was mostly just for show. "And what would that be?" the blind blonde boy asked mildly; he couldn't recall doing anything that might offend the boy.

"Whatever you and Pyrrha have going on you need to end now!" he snarled, "You hear me? She's mine! All she ever talks about is you! 'Jaune this' and 'Jaune that', but no more!"

What the hell was the idiot talking about? Was Pyrrha actively ignoring her partner in favour of Jaune himself? That was rough, but for the idiot to get so worked up about it… ah, he must have been a fan of hers then. No wonder he was obsessed with the girl, and that must sting to have her busy thinking about some other guy.

Even though she was probably thinking about how to discreetly kill the other guy.

"Listen Russel," Jaune said slowly, "Pyrrha and I have nothing going on, you can have her."

There, that should solve the problem. Easy!

"Bullshit!" the other boy spat, "You're all she ever talks about!"

Oh for fuck's sake… "Seriously, I want nothing to do with her." God this guy was dumb… Pyrrha had speared him to a tree like a human shish-kebab, and this idiot thought that was the start of what? A fairy tale romance?

Jaune opened his mouth to speak, but was instantly cut off when Cardin cried out beside him, "URSA!"

What?! Where!? Jaune couldn't-

With the sound of shattering glass Jaune and all the other boys were punted across the clearing with what felt like a thunderous, bone-rattling blow. The other four boys scrambled to their feet faster than Jaune; almost in slow motion, he noted that their souls all quivered in fear.

But he still couldn't see anything. The vibrant life of the grass and trees shined as bright as ever, but beyond that there was nothing… no Ursa… no Grimm…

Oh god, he couldn't see Grimm…

"Run!" Sky shouted, the others all too eager to follow the command.

But before they could the Ursa was upon them, its razor sharp claws hammering down on Cardin.

The large boy was unfortunately the nail of the situation, the dirt beneath him compacting as the Ursa Major focussed its attention on him.

But Jaune couldn't see that, all he saw was Cardin being punted back to the ground with enough force to pancake a car. Jaune scrambled to his feet and gripped two fire Dust Crystals, ready to back up the others as they helped Cardin.

"RUN!" Sky screamed again, rather pointlessly considering all of them bar Cardin and Jaune had already begun to flee, leaving only the blind boy tos try and save his partner.

Cardin tried to raise his mace to defend himself, but it was battered away by what seemed to Jaune to be an unseen force.

"Jaune!" Cardin shouted as he was slashed again, his aura visibly waning in Jaune's vision. "Help!"

Help… right. Okay, now how to do that without setting Cardin ablaze and still managing to burn the Grimm… "I don't see it!" Jaune cried, the beginnings of a plan hatching in his mind. "Point to it!"

"WHAT!?" Cardin demanded as he was once again thrown across the clearing.

"Point to it!" Jaune repeated, quickly growing desperate as he saw the silvery aura of Cardin begin to flicker. "Hurry!"

Cardin didn't question it again, his silvery aura raising a hand and pointing towards where the beast was.

And that was all that Jaune needed.

Ignoring the ever-present burns on his hands, Jaune pushed his aura into the warm crystals that he held, a feeling of power rushing through his veins as the inferno gushed outwards and spiralled through the area that Cardin had pointed to.

At first nothing happened, but then Jaune 'saw' as the aura-guided flames seemed to coat around something unseen to him. Like an absence or void in the middle of everything, and at the same time he heard a terrible roar of pain and the smell of burning flesh assaulted his nose.

Soon the outline of the figure was completely within his sight, taking what he knew to be the bestial form of an Ursa Major. It felt… _wrong_. Like his aura knew it to be there, and yet he failed utterly to make any meaningful contact with the creature. It was almost as if it were… hollow.

Hollow… that was a good word for it.

The beast roared in terrible fury, its hatred for all things human echoing throughout the forest as its skin burned.

With a speed Jaune thought impossible for a beast of that size, he saw the hollow dart towards him with a claw raised.

Jaune tried to dodge, but the speed shown to him previously from his teammates held nothing to the fell creature that now assailed him. He hardly moved half a foot to the side when the swipe of the claw smashed him across the clearing near where Cardin lay.

Although the pain was great, it was still manageable. It was nothing compared to being impaled or being mauled. His aura and the armoured plates he wore protected him well enough, although the armour was heavy - heavy enough that he knew it was slowing him down.

The aura-coated flames that burned the Ursa had waned with his distraction; he quickly exerted his will over the fire, and the image of the Ursa became clear to him once again.

"Jaune!" Cardin cried as he clutched his ribs, "Do something!"

Really Cardin? That was your wise command as leader? Do something?! Well of course! Now that you say it he would leap to obey the wise and well thought-out order!

The Ursa charged again, and once more Jaune was unable to dodge in time. He was punted across the clearing once more, and although his aura tanked the blow well enough his hoodie and armour were rent beyond repair, the feeble metal seeming to shatter under the might of the fell beast.

Jaune staggered to his feet, his body throbbing and aching under duress from the prolonged fight. Things seemed bleak, like there was no hope of victory.

But Jaune wouldn't accept it. He'd been pushed around all his life; every time he really tried to commit himself to something he failed. Always overshadowed by his sisters, always quailing under the pressure of his family name.

Even during initiation he had failed, botched it up so badly that he'd been blinded and maimed.

But he was sick of failing. Sick of Cardin and the others lording their strength over him. Sick of being afraid. Sick of the Grimm. AND SICK OF THIS GODDAMN URSA!

The single rarest Dust he had fell into his hands in an instant, the thrumming power of the gravity Dust feeling so utterly different to the burning power of the fire Dust. But that didn't matter, what mattered was the result.

The ground around the Ursa compacted as Jaune poured all his power into the Dust, the already heartless and cruel power of gravity multiplying greatly - causing the Ursa to stagger under its new weight.

Jaune felt the power thrum through the area, but it was unfocused and undirected. The force multiplier just washed over the clearing and Jaune himself was caught within it, but he held firm; he would not be bowed by the weight of the world again.

The Ursa thundered to the ground, its own new weight too much for it to carry. Yet still Jaune stood, his legs shaking with the effort required to sustain himself.

"Jaune!" he heard the piercing cry of his name, but it was from the last person he wanted to speak to now. Pyrrha.

He was utterly immobile, and Cardin had already scampered off so he was alone.

Alone with naught an Ursa Major and Pyrrha Nikos for company.

This would be the death of him. He knew that now, Pyrrha would no doubt use the golden opportunity to end him and claim that the Ursa had done it while she had been unable to help in time.

He had wondered from time to time what his death would be like. Would it be comforting? Or would it be something he fought tooth and nail against, only to fail miserably? Would the girl leave his remains for the Grimm to eat? Or would he be taken back to Beacon and given a service?

Even as his legs strained to support him, Jaune smiled for the first time in weeks. Ugly though he may now be, he wanted to die with a smile on his face.

 _Crack!_

The sound of a single gunshot rang out, but the pain Jaune expected feel never came.

Instead he heard the struggles of the Ursa stop, the forest growing quiet once again.

It was impossible; it was insane and utterly shocking.

But Pyrrha had killed the Ursa, not him.

The power he had over gravity shattered as he drew his aura back within himself, and he fell to his knees. His power was exhausted, Pyrrha could still use this chance to kill him; there would be nothing he could do to stop her.

But instead of death, he heard something better. "Jaune? Are you okay?" It was gentle, but even he could detect the pleading undertones.

She… wasn't going to kill him. He realised that now. This would have been the perfect chance; she could have ended him just as easily as she ended the Ursa - yet she didn't.

He slumped to the ground, and for a moment he saw Pyrrha's aura flicker in alarm; but she calmed once more when a deep, rumbling laughter escaped his lips. "I was so wrong…" he laughed.

"Jaune?" she sounded so scared of another rejection.

His sight focussed on the girl. Her black and golden aura wasn't a thing to be feared like he had thought; it was warm, and it was _kind_. She would never hurt him, not intentionally anyway. "I was wrong about you Pyrrha, I am so sorry."

He felt, just as much as he saw the joy that seemed to soar through her aura. "I forgive you," he declared, "And I hope… that we can be friends from now on."

For a moment it seemed that her aura was afire with emotion, but he hardly had time to comprehend this before he was enveloped in a hug the likes of which he'd only gotten from the closest of family. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you…!" over and over again the normally composed girl sobbed.

Jaune couldn't suppress the smile that broke out across his face. It finally seemed that life was looking up for him.

 **A/N**

 **So… Nihilus just 'saved' Jaune and Pyrrha from her, question is; who is 'her'? I'm sure you can all guess, it's not like there are many female antagonists in RWBY- oh wait, yes there are. Meh, I'm sure you can all work it out.**

 **Nihilus can't see Grimm either! Some of you probably expected that given his reaction to them just before picking up Jaune and Pyrrha, but it is still an interesting thing to note. Ozpin would undoubtedly be aware of this too, but why do you think that he'd allow the younger Nihilus to continue his training to become a hunter knowing that he would be forever blind to the creatures that he'd have to hunt? Obviously there is something larger happening.**

 **Another interesting thing to note; this chapter shows when Nihilus first used the word 'hollow' to describe something - Grimm in this case. Though I should point out that by the 'present day' segments when Nihilus' uses the word hollow he usually isn't referring to Grimm, but to something else entirely.**

 **Let's look at the reviews:  
**

 **blaiseingfire:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I wouldn't quite go that far; but hey, I'll take the compliment.**

 **hirshja:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Hmm… it seems I was mistaken, the conversation between Ruby and Ozpin is in chapter 10. Sorry about that, but I still thoroughly enjoyed our conversation on the subject. The reason for my mistake stems from the fact that I write about 4 or 5 chapters ahead, and thus I tend to get slightly confused as to where everyone else is compared to where I am.**

 **Though I daresay that when you do read chapter 10 you will be more interested in other things.**

 **Toddem Mach:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
Not quite the reaction I was going for, but I'll take it. Oh shit indeed.**

 **Tabris the 17th angle:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
I always love reading reviews like yours, picking through the thoughts of my readers is something I greatly enjoy and thank you deeply for.**

 **You're right in the sense that Nihilus see's Remnant for what it really is, in that respect Nihilus is practically omnipotent - but he is crazy for another reason. Nihilus' insanity is borne of what can only really be described as the death of Jaune Arc, something that you will get more information about in chapter 10. Though you are right in the sense that Nihilus also see's the alternate team RWBY as being on the same level as Grimm - though their killing of Pyrrha is a secondary reason compared to their greatest crime against him.**

 **Don't worry about leaving long or theory packed reviews! I always love to read them.**

* * *

 **As always; thanks to all of you for reading, and don't forget to review!**


	10. Of Days Past

Wraith

Chapter Ten

Beta: Smithrooks

Of Days Past

 **Abandoned mineshaft, present day...**

"Get the door!"

Pyrrha grunted as she pushed her weight against the metal doorway to the abandoned mineshaft, the Grimm on the other side howling and clawing as they tried to gain entrance.

They had rushed post haste to the mineshaft that Jaune recalled as being just outside Dorme, or what was left of Dorme in any case. The mine used to have Dust in it, but was mined empty long before Jaune was ever born; then the miners had left it behind, a musty relic of the past.

Jaune and his sisters had played in here from time to time when they were younger, so he was reasonably confident that he knew the layout of the facility. Although, he had admittedly never come in here with a pack of Grimm hot on his tail before; that was definitely new.

The decaying and reforming body of Nihilus in his hands wasn't really helping settle his raging nerves either, although Jaune wasn't really sure which was worse right now; Nihilus waking up or the Grimm breaking in and eating them all.

Sadly, the latter seemed rather more likely right now.

The metal door rattled ominously as Grimm roared their defiance from the other side. "Jaune, I need some help here!" Pyrrha shouted, her strength being sapped even when Nihilus was unconscious.

As gently as possible, Jaune began to lay the Lord of Hunger on the ground; he had to help Pyrrha-

Jaune had less than a second to register that Nihilus' sickly yellow eyes opened, but then the world seemed to shatter around them.

All noise faded, everything becoming dull and distant until they were beyond his or Pyrrha's perception. The image of the poorly lit tunnel vanished too, the world around them becoming a pure, unblemished white.

"What? What's going on?" Pyrrha asked from beside him. They were utterly solitary in the void of blinding light.

"I- I don't know…" Jaune answered, his head rotating around as he tried to see _anything_ that wasn't just plain whiteness.

"Hello!" a new, yet crushingly familiar voice said suddenly and impossibly cheerfully.

Jaune and Pyrrha spun around to face whoever was behind them, ready for anything. But all the readiness in the world didn't prepare either of the young hunters for what they saw.

It was… Jaune.

An exact replica of Jaune was lazing comfortably on an overstuffed couch, a wide smile on his face as he stared at the two gaping hunters.

"It's nice to meet you," he continued enthusiastically, "as I'm sure you've guessed, I'm Jaune!"

"What?" Jaune choked. Was he really talking to himself? Oh god, was he going crazy like Nihilus?

The other Jaune looked his counterpart in the eyes and smiled, "Yes you're talking to yourself, and no you're not going crazy like me."

Pyrrha looked confused while Jaune reared back in shock. Was he reading their thoughts?! Was that even possible? "Are you reading my mind?" Jaune asked rather pointlessly.

The other Jaune just smiled, as if waiting for something.

"Um… Jaune?" Pyrrha asked to the other Jaune, "What's going-"

The pieces finally clicked into place for Jaune, his mind finally realising what exactly he had said. "You're Nihilus!" he shouted, the noise seeming to die instantly in the massive empty space.

Nihilus clapped slowly, as if indulging Jaune. "Yes. I am Nihilus, but before that I was Jaune Arc."

"What!?" Pyrrha demanded, utterly lost.

"Do you remember the fairy tale of the demon king and the portal to hell?" Nihilus asked suddenly, utterly ignoring Pyrrha's question.

"Yeah…" Jaune said slowly, "It's an old one. A terrible tyrant ruled over the world, but then a great hero rose up and banished the evil king to hell through a swirling purple gateway."

Nihilus nodded, "Yeah, that one. There's more to it, but you get the gist of it. Did you know that it's true?"

Pyrrha and Jaune looked at him blankly.

"I am Jaune Arc from another universe," the mirror image said. "One where Pyrrha and I never became partners, and I… well, you saw what I became."

"If that's true…" Pyrrha said slowly, trying to wrap her head around the idea. "Then why did you come to our universe?"

"Simple!" Nihilus cried as he stood up, the couch he'd been sitting on dissolving into nothing the instant he left it. "To get away. My world hates me, and thanks to the meddling of those bloody girls your world is just starting to see me as a monster as well."

"Wait," Jaune asked, "how come you're… like, not crazy here? Actually, where the hell is here?"

Nihilus smiled weakly, his mirror image face of Jaune twisting oddly in ways that shouldn't be possible. "Tricky questions… okay, let's start with the basics. Do you know what my semblance is?"

"Yes," Pyrrha replied, looking at his strange distorted face. "You steal the souls of others."

Nihilus cringed, "Eh, close enough. I'm also rather skilled at manipulating aura, so to speak with you two I made a type of symbiotic link out of aura and distorted the world around us to make a barrier. And don't worry about the Grimm at our door, after all is said and done here only about a second will have passed in the real world."

"Right…" Jaune sighed, more confused than anything else. "So we're in a world made of aura?"

The other Jaune blinked, "No, not really, but I suppose that's a good explanation as any."

"Linking aura like that isn't possible." Pyrrha frowned, her emerald eyes never leaving the form of Nihilus.

Nihilus nodded, his features seeming to twist and distort inhumanly as he did so. "As was the common belief for most of history, but well… when you have to stare at something all day, every day… let's just say that you get curious."

Nihilus suddenly clapped his hands, the world seeming to blur around them until the scene changed into that of a comfortable looking office with massive gears moving underfoot and above the ceiling. "This is Ozpin's office," Nihilus said wistfully as he sat down in the headmaster's chair. "It's weird, you know, out of all the times I was in this office I always wondered if the chair was comfortable… I suppose I'll never really know."

Jaune and Pyrrha gawked at the room around them. The sudden shift was utterly alien, and yet had felt so utterly natural at the same time. "What… what was that?" Pyrrha asked cautiously.

"This place is just a mental construct," Nihilus hummed, "I control the world just as much as you do. I see your minds just as much as you could see mine if I allowed it."

Jaune's deep blue eyes narrowed as they met the identical counterpart. "You see our minds? That's wrong!"

"Yes, well… normally I would do you the courtesy of allowing you to enter my thoughts as well," Nihilus said as he began to spin in circles on the chair. "But I'm afraid that would drive you both quite insane."

The two young hunters stared at Nihilus, their eyes narrowed.

"Back to your original question however…" Nihilus' face twisted inhumanly again, almost as if taking a normal expression and going far beyond what was humanly possible. "The reason I'm not insane here. Well, let's start with how you were wrong about my semblance."

"What?" Pyrrha's brow creased, she had felt it. She couldn't be wrong. "No, I've felt the effects of it. You were draining my aura."

"Yes, the passive effect of my semblance is to drain aura," Nihilus muttered, sounding almost disgusted. "And that is what you felt, but you still have no understanding of the context of it all."

"How to put it…" the false lord hummed, "Aura and the soul are actually two different things. The soul is like the… generator for aura - but it's not actually aura itself. Think of the soul as a beautiful tapestry; when I stand near you, my semblance tugs at the edges - then when I touch you I take the tapestry and sew it onto my own."

Jaune interrupted, "As interesting as this is, what does it have to do with anything?"

"Everything!" Nihilus cried with a thin smile, "Now don't interrupt. Where was I? Oh yes, now the reason for my physical form being insane is… well, I made a mistake basically. Going back to the previous analogy; each time I add a new tapestry there is still a clear beginning and end to each cloth, despite the fact that they are connected."

Nihilus stood from Ozpin's chair, the image of the room fading around them until they were in an icy-looking wasteland. "But then I ate something I shouldn't have. When I absorbed two particular women, instead of simply sewing the tapestries to the edges, it sort of… unraveled everything and then forced it all back together again in a chaotic mix that made little to no sense."

Pyrrha looked at the not-Jaune with more than a little trepidation. "So you… consumed… these two people then? You can hear them speak to you and that's what drove you mad?"

Nihilus raised an eyebrow at Pyrrha, the motion way too prominent to be natural. "No, were that the case then I'd still be me. It's more like…" he paused, and with him the world seemed to pause as well. "I became them, and they became me. Imagine that, three distinctly different personalities being forced to fuse into a single entity. My soul was corrupted and my mind shattered under the stress of all the different thoughts and emotions."

"Wait," the real Jaune muttered in confusion, "then what are you? If you soul was corrupted like you say, then why aren't you… like the rest of you?"

The icy landscape around them suddenly shifted into a barren and scorching hot desert, and with it Nihilus' look of mild happiness and amusement only strengthened. "I am, for lack of a better word, a fragment."

"A fragment?" Pyrrha asked dubiously.

Nihilus waved his arms around, a joyous smile on his face. "I am a single moment of time trapped within eternity. I am a single memory _plucked_ from a greater whole when Jaune realised what exactly was happening to him. I am his single _happiest_ memory preserved, so Jaune Arc could live on free of Cinder and Amber."

"A memory?" the real Jaune asked, "What's the memory of?"

"Ah ah ah," Nihilus hummed, "Spoilers. You need to experience it yourself, not through the lenses of a nut trapped in his own mind."

Before anything else could be said, a huge white crack split through the air. Jaune and Pyrrha were alarmed, but Nihilus merely looked on with a sad smile. "I fear our time here grows short. I can only maintain control for so long before the rest of myself asserts himself once more."

The world around them seemed to shudder, more cracks appearing in a flash.

"Wait!" Jaune cried as the image of the sane Nihilus grew hazy, "Before we go, can you tell me what is wrong with your body?!"

But there was no reply. Instead, the only thing that the other Jaune graced the two with was a wide smile and a wink, before the world shattered and they were once again within the dimly lit mineshaft.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day...**

Yang was dead.

Ruby felt the fat wet tears leak down the side of her face as she thought about her now departed sister. She had told Yang and the others to stay back if they saw the Lord of Hunger, but… maybe Yang's temper had just gotten the better of her one time too many.

Yang had always held a special hatred for what Nihilus had become, her anger always burning hotter than the rest of the team for what he had done and what he was doing. She had never really liked Nihilus when he was still Jaune, back when he was still a person. But to lash out and attack him, _knowing_ that she had no chance of winning? The real Yang must have died years ago with their father and Uncle Qrow; what she had become was just a ball of anger and hurt.

"Are you alright, Miss Rose?" Ozpin asked mildly as they rode the elevator upwards to his office.

Ruby let the tears fall quietly… so much death. First she lost her friend Jaune to the insanity that plagued Nihilus, now she had lost her sister. Did it ever end? The world would certainly be better off without Nihilus… but she knew better. She knew there was only one way he could be defeated… if only he was sane enough to listen, sane enough to be guided to the correct end for his life.

If only it didn't have to be this way. Just looking at the universe around her, Ruby felt the burning jealousy. Things were already different, and the Jaune of this world would never turn once what was left of her team caught him and… laid him to rest.

"Yang has been absorbed," she finally said, her voice flat as she began to reign in her emotions.

Ozpin closed his eyes and sighed; Ruby could almost _feel_ the sadness that emanated from his frame. "This is dire news indeed… I am sorry for your loss, she had a bright future ahead of her."

A weak comfort. None of her team RWBY had a bright future anymore. They were too broken, too damaged from all the exposure to Nihilus… if they ever succeeded then the life of a hunter would be forever beyond them; lest they wished to live a short, brutal existence before suffering an equally brutal death.

Really… this was their last mission. Stop Nihilus. Put an end to her first friend at Beacon because he was out of control. It wasn't the worst fate she could have gotten as a hunter; she was still far, _far_ luckier than Nihilus himself.

The elevator doors opened, and the duo stepped inside. "I have arranged for a video conference with a aura specialist from Atlas in the hopes that he might uncover more useful information about Nihilus' semblance, but if you do not wish to do this…"

"No," Ruby cut her old headmaster off, "I'll be fine."

Ozpin peered at her from behind his small glasses, but eventually relented. "Very well, I'll connect the call now."

The aged headmaster fiddled with his computer for a few moments, but then a wide holographic monitor appeared in the centre of the room with two men's faces on the screen.

One of which both Ruby and Ozpin recognized very well.

"James," Ozpin said mildly as he sipped his coffee, "I didn't realise that you would be joining us today."

"Yes, well," the stern-looking man grunted, "I thought it best to keep as up to date as possible with the situation." He turned his gaze to Ruby. "And you must be one of our other guests. My name is General-"

"I know who you are," Ruby interrupted, "I've met you in my world." No one missed the thin veneer of calmness that covered burning _anger_.

The third man coughed awkwardly, trying to ignore the sudden tension. "Ah… um, well… I am Doctor Polendina. I understand that you wish for my expertise regarding aura?"

Ruby's glare at Ironwood didn't abate, her silver eyes never leaving the face of the man she hated the most in the world. "Yes, that's right Doctor."

"I assume this is regarding the supposed semblance of the rogue hunter that terrorised Vale recently?" the bespectacled man asked, his hand rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

Ozpin nodded, "Yes, assuming that simply absorbing aura and semblances is the extent of his abilities."

The hand rubbing his chin stilled, the scientist's eyes widening slightly. "He absorbs semblances too?" he asked faintly, "that poor bastard…"

Ruby's eyes finally shifted off Ironwood, her silver gaze settling onto the doctor. "What? What difference does that make?"

"Well…" the scientist shifted awkwardly, "a semblance is an outward expression of aura, but more often than not it's also something that your body needs to… change to accommodate."

Change? What the hell did he mean change? Sure, when you unlocked a semblance it hurt a bit. But that was just your body adapting… oh. "And he has to do this whenever he takes a semblance," Ruby muttered, "that would be agonizingly painful wouldn't it? Taking in a dozen different changes at once."

"Exactly, his body would probably be in a state of flux." The elder man sighed, "Worse still, if he took in semblances that naturally opposed each other-"

"As interesting as this is," Ironwood cut in, "it's not relevant. In your report you said that he was captured, is it possible to recreate the circumstances of said capture? This Lord of Hunger could further research on aura by decades if we were allowed to study him."

"Experiment on him, you mean!" Ruby hissed, "The steps taken to capture him were too much last time, and it only made him more powerful in the end! I will _not_ allow it to happen again."

"Foolish girl," Ironwood grunted, "With him contained we could-"

"Enough, both of you." Ozpin's voice cracked like a whip. "James, I am forced to agree with Miss Rose, containment isn't an option. We'll do what we must and no more, put an end to Nihilus and that is it."

Ironwood stared at his long time friend with a mixture of disappointment and anger. "But think of the things we could learn, Oz!"

"He is still a man!" Ruby snapped, "A monster and villain yes, but still a man. Death is the only way this ends, but we don't need to lower ourselves to his level."

Ozpin smiled at Ruby, "You are right Miss Rose, we needn't degrade ourselves because of greed. We will do the humane thing and put Nihilus out of his misery."

Ironwood looked furious, but he knew that he had lost this argument. "Fine! Damn us all then!"

With a click the call ended, leaving Ozpin and Ruby alone in the room once more.

Ruby sighed… that had gone poorly. But it was sort of expected too. Ironwood was a bastard through and through, wanting to use Nihilus as a test subject - despite how powerful the Lord of Hunger actually was. She had seen the results of Raven's Rock prison facility; she saw the utter devastation… that place couldn't be allowed to happen again. All the bullshit Ozpin and the other leaders had with the Queen was nigh irrelevant compared to the threat Nihilus posed… and the threat that Jaune posed.

"Ozpin," she said quietly to the other hunter, "we need to talk about Jaune, the one from this universe."

The older man sighed and sipped his coffee, the near-black liquid soothing his frayed nerves. "Yes… I suppose we do."

"Something needs to be done about him…" Ruby muttered as she began pacing the room. "Right now he isn't really a threat, but when he unlocks his semblance he will become a major danger - a second Nihilus."

Ozpin looked deeply into the dark steamy depths of his favorite drink, seemingly searching for the answers neither of the hunters had. "What do you propose we do?" he asked.

Ruby grimaced, her face twisting into a pained expression. "As much as I hate to say it… he should get the same as Nihilus."

Ozpin stared at her, his dark eyes boring holes into the younger huntress. "Miss Rose… that would mean condemning an innocent man to death."

"Yes, but it could also mean saving the lives of dozens of people." Ruby argued despite the bitter taste it left in her mouth. "It isn't right, but it is necessary."

Ozpin rose to his feet and moved to stare out the massive window that dominated the back half of the room. "This is a dangerous path to travel down Miss Rose. We cannot allow ourselves to become the very thing we are fighting against."

Ruby looked at the headmaster sadly. "Things must look good in that glass house of yours Ozpin… but if I see Jaune, then I will do what I must."

Ozpin didn't say anything, staring silently out at Vale.

* * *

 **Dorme, present day...**

Cinder walked through the devastation, her footfalls light and graceful enough not to disturb the ashes around them.

She had just arrived at Dorme… she had been following the rogue hunter that stole aura for quite some time now. Not for a direct confrontation of course, that would be nigh suicide. For now she and her minions were just going to observe, see if there was any way that he could be bent to their will.

But then that fight had broken out and destroyed a nearby village. The fire had burnt so hotly that even Cinder had been slightly wary; that wasn't just Dust fire - it was magic. The same type of magic that the Maidens had. Which should have been impossible, there was no Maiden nearby save herself.

That led her to only one possible conclusion; that rogue hunter must have absorbed Maiden powers at some point. A man with the full powers of a Maiden… that was wrong. But it would also make him the man with the most potential power in the world. If he could absorb Maiden powers, then what _couldn't_ he absorb?

That man, If given the right opportunities, could become the greatest fighter on the planet. But luckily, he also seemed… unstable. Easy to manipulate for sure, if she could ensnare him into her service… nothing would be able to stand against her.

But the issue with that particular plan laid in how she would avoid becoming just another meal for him. The only way to resist his semblance that she knew of was the black armour that the mysterious new team had worn, but luck seemed to be on her side today.

The blackened and rotted corpse of one of the unknown hunters lay at her feet; whatever she used to look like was gone now, utterly destroyed by the Lord of Hunger eating his fill. Perhaps she may have been beautiful once, but now all that remained were blackened and rotted bones and the thick smell of death.

But her armour was still there, or most of it anyway. The helmet was nowhere to be seen, and the plating over the arms looked horribly damaged from what must have been thunderous blows. Faded yellow paint covered two wrist-gauntlets, the weapons now pitted and scarred from years of combat.

Normally Cinder felt herself above grave robbing, but what was left of this armour was the first step to being able to convert Nihilus to her side. With little grace or ceremony, Cinder tore the still viable torso and leg plating off the desecrated corpse.

It was heavy, but necessary for her new plans.

Just as Cinder began to turn away from the body and leave this now dead place, something caught her eye. Clutched in the skeletal hands of the corpse was a photo.

She plucked the laminated paper out of the dead hands and stared at the image. It had obviously been folded and unfolded many times, well loved and cared for… but the property of a dead woman. The picture had 11 teenaged people that were obviously hunters-in-training all holding another young hunter up in the air; the ones holding the boy up were all smiling joyously as they held their comrade aloft. The man being held had a horribly scarred face, three deep lines marring his looks; his eyes a pale blue, the type of pale that showed blindness. His face was twisted into a smile, not as wide as the others but still showing happiness.

It was an overly sappy picture, but what was written on the back was what really got Cinder interested. It read: _The whole gang celebrating with the new 'Hero of Vale'!_ The loopy and slightly messy handwriting wasn't important. The date written beneath, however, was.

It was dated almost 5 months in the future.

But that was impossible, the photo itself looked to be nearly a decade old… but the date was all wrong. This huntress couldn't have come from the future; that was preposterous.

But that still didn't explain the photo. Just what exactly was it?

She would have to think on this, ponder the ramifications of this image and what it could mean…

But first she had to take her new armour home.

* * *

 **Vale, many years ago…**

Jaune had decided against confronting Ozpin about not being able to see Grimm. It had been a hard decision to make, especially given the horrible dangers it posed, but Jaune and the rest of his team thought it was for the best. Ozpin obviously had some kind of agenda, some other reason for allowing Jaune to stay in the school other than what he had said. But now they had a leg up on the old headmaster; he didn't know that Jaune knew, and Jaune could use that to his advantage.

But all the crap with Ozpin aside, for the first time since initiation things were looking up for Jaune.

It had been a week since the near-fiasco in Forever Fall, and since then Cardin and the others had started treating him as an equal, not just some lackey. Cardin had even _thanked_ him for saving him from the Ursa, and the other two had apologised for running away when they should have stayed to help.

He had forgiven them of course, and why wouldn't he? Sure they had been arseholes throughout his time at Beacon so far, but they had also trained him and started him on the path to power he was on now. He could do amazing things with Dust, albeit destructive things, but amazing nonetheless.

And all that wasn't even the best thing to come from what happened in Forever Fall. He had finally gotten over his fear of Pyrrha. The champion had been overjoyed when he had first made overtures of friendship; she was so nice to him, so kind. He actually felt kind of silly about suspecting her for trying to murder him! It had all been a silly accident.

This week they had spent quite a bit of time together; things had been slightly awkward at first, but eventually they had started chilling out. It was rather nice actually, because with his new tentative friendship with Pyrrha he and Ruby had warmed up to each other once again. The younger girl had apparently been rather depressed due in part to his constant dour mood since initiation. Things may have been a little rough with her team though… Yang and Blake still looked at him like they expected him to be a racist tool like Cardin and the others. Although Blake was the worse of the two, being a Faunus herself - though he made sure not to make any comment lest she take offence. Weiss had been rather like her namesake, cold and distant - though Ruby just laughed that off and said that she was like that with everyone.

Although, if Jaune was being honest, he never really felt the need to care what people thought of him anymore. He could care less if most of team RWBY didn't like him, why waste the energy worrying about it?

Pyrrha's team had been… odd. Ren and Nora seemed to be joined at the hip, always going everywhere together - but not _together together_ as Nora had made clear. Russel though… that particular situation had just gotten worse. The boy had been furious that Jaune and Pyrrha now spent quite a bit of time together; Russel had apparently been glaring at him venomously whenever they were in the same room. Though truthfully, Jaune hadn't actually noticed that until Nora had commented.

All in all… life was good now. Sure Cardin, Sky and Dove were still racist arseholes… but he had other people to hang around now. He was probably strong enough to scrape his way through combat class without any extra teaching from them. Sure he was still the weakest in the school, but he was strong enough to forge his own path onwards.

Or failing that, he could just ask Pyrrha for help; claiming repayment for spearing him to a tree and all that.

Currently, he and Pyrrha were in Vale enjoying a nice afternoon meal. Not quite dinner, but still enough to sate their appetites. It was a nice little place near the docks that served mainly fish-based foods. They had been coming to this place all week, both because Jaune enjoyed salmon and to get past the awkward 'sorry I impaled you' stage of friendship.

Russel was probably spying on them from a nearby grassy knoll or something, the jealous creature that he was. But neither Jaune nor Pyrrha cared, and why should they? The guy was a tool, but he wouldn't do anything drastic while within the city.

"So you really see using aura?" Pyrrha asked for what felt like the billionth time.

Jaune hummed, she had been asking him that question quite often. The concept of it obviously fascinated the girl a great deal. "Yes I do," He said slowly as he ate his fish, "everything has its own unique colour and shape."

"You see the aura of everyone?" she asked, honestly quite thrilled to be learning something new.

"Yeah," Jaune muttered as a small smile worked its way onto his face, "I can even see people's emotions, but that's kind of hard to work out most of the time."

"That sounds amazing!" Pyrrha exclaimed, "What does my aura look like?"

Jaune stared at her for a moment; the black and gold that was Pyrrha Nikos swirled around in gentle eddies, a comforting warmth seeping from her soul as it pulsed with life and energy. But how could he put it into words? He could just say that her soul was black and gold, but there was more to it. Colours that there were no words for, colours that he didn't even know existed until he lost his sight. It would be like describing sound to someone who had been deaf all their life. Or, more amusingly, describing colour to a truly blind man.

"There aren't words," Jaune replied honestly. "Every soul is unique, each made of things that I will never be able to describe."

He couldn't see her facial expression, but her aura flickered around like a candle in the wind. What emotion was that? Certainly not a negative one, colours tended to dull when it was a negative emotion. But now she just looked… alive? Exuberant? Vigorous? He couldn't tell.

"Jaune…" she whispered slowly, "Can… you teach me? To see like you do."

Teach her?! "What?" Jaune exclaimed, shocked. "Teach you to see like me? But… you can see normally."

"Yes, but I'm responsible for what happened to you." He didn't protest what she said; it was true, but he had already forgiven her. "And I want to understand you. I want to see what you see…"

It was touching, it really was. But he didn't know how to teach anything. It was probably easier for him because he couldn't see normally, but to teach her… he wasn't sure if he could. It required a sort of understanding of the world around them that Ozpin had struggled to teach Jaune, and that Jaune still wasn't entirely sure he fully grasped himself.

"Pyrrha, I-"

Whatever Jaune was going to say was violently cut off, the words dying instantly as an explosion rang out through the twilight air of the docks.

He saw Pyrrha's soul flicker in alarm, as well as all the souls of everyone else in the small restaurant.

"What was that?!" someone cried in alarm.

"Jaune!" Pyrrha hissed into his ear, "we should go see what caused that!"

She was right of course, but he was already 'looking' at the cause. A couple dozen Faunus-looking souls were gathered around the shipping area, as well as one human soul that looked vaguely orange in colour. The human had obviously been the cause of the explosion, as the fiery streaks of aura from the detonation were clearly his. And another, much more familiar soul was there too; the deep purple was hard to miss.

Just what exactly was Blake doing? And why did she just explode?

"Call your weapons now!" Jaune hissed as he dragged Pyrrha out of the establishment, "Blake is in trouble!"

Pyrrha gasped, but quickly complied.

Jaune himself always kept some Dust on him, mostly due to the raging paranoia he had felt when he still thought Pyrrha was trying to kill him. He kept his three favourite types with him: lightning, water and fire. They were the ones he was best with; fire being as simple as point and shoot, water being good for tripping people up and lightning being the hardest of the three, but the most deadly.

Within moments, the rocket locker containing Pyrrha's sword and shield slammed into the ground before them, the weapons within almost shining to Jaune's blind eyes as their radiance was like a shadowed reflection of Pyrrha.

"Come on!" Jaune urged as they began moving towards where he could see Blake was in trouble.

The duo ran as fast as they could towards where they heard the sound of fighting, but even as they ran a dozen more explosions rang out with a thunderous roar.

Finally, they came into view of the fight. The yellowish aura of a Faunus guy was beating up a bunch of other Faunus with what Jaune assumed to be some kind of staff. They all went down fairly easily, but the orange-coloured aura of a man was twisting violently in what Jaune could only describe as supreme _irritation._

The man growled his frustration and raised his cane to fire upon the yellowish aura of the staff-wielding Faunus.

But Pyrrha got there first, her shield raised before her as the fiery explosion washed over her aura and defences.

"What?!" the boy shouted in surprise, but he was obviously pleased at the assistance.

Jaune let the violent energy of the golden lightning Dust flow through his body, a smirk gracing his normally passive face. "I love this part…" he whispered as he let the power flow out of his body and towards the cane-wielding crook.

The man jerked in surprise as the golden lightning struck him, his body convulsing even as his aura tried to wash it out of his system. Jaune smirked again; this was easy! All he had to do was attack again-

But his moment of distraction cost the blonde boy. The electrified man moved faster than the blind boy expected and slammed his cane into the side of Jaune's head.

Jaune stumbled to the side with his ears ringing. His head ached terribly, but he found himself suddenly rather preoccupied with other things; the cane was jammed into his gut with unyielding force and the blind boy couldn't help but choke as he was punted backwards.

Thankfully for Jaune, Blake finally made her reappearance. With a cry of, "He's mine!" she slashed her dual blades at the cane-wielding bastard.

Jaune panted for air as the two way more skilled fighters duked it out less than a metre away from him, his head and chest aching terribly. Unfortunately he could tell he would be getting no help whatsoever from either Pyrrha or the yellow aura of the Faunus boy, they were preoccupied with the dozen or so goons around them - the battle dragging out because neither of the young hunters were aiming to kill, unlike their opponents.

Blake staggered backwards as she was overpowered by the orange aura of the enemy, the cane slamming into her head similar to how it slammed into Jaune's just moments ago.

With a wheezy breath, Jaune forced himself to his feet and threw himself back into the fight. He let the power of the lightning Dust flow through his body, but now outside of it. He thrummed like a generator as he charged at the criminal with a yell; the cane swung towards him and Jaune didn't even try to block or dodge, it was a metal cane after all. And not much conducted electricity better than metal.

The cane slammed into his left shoulder with bone-crunching force, but Jaune was more interested in the pained yelp the man let out as the power in Jaune's body ran rampant.

Seeing his chance, Jaune thrust his hand out towards the man's face. The criminal let out a pained shout as Jaune's fingers closed over his face, the man screaming and screaming in blind agony.

Jaune grimaced as the man dropped his cane due to the convulsions of his fingers; the sound was terrible, the pain the man must be in-

The criminal howled in anger and tried to jam a knife between Jaune's ribs.

Thankfully the blow was largely deflected by his aura, but he still felt the metal blade grind against the bones before his aura pushed it away. Jaune yelped as he was pushed backwards; his ribs throbbed in agony, but he had hardly a second to realise this before he felt a violent explosion shatter the ground at his feet.

Jaune was flung backwards, his body slamming into the hard and unyielding concrete as he bounced across the ground.

For a moment he blacked out, his awareness fading for just a second before he snapped back into awareness.

The end of the cane was jammed in his face; it was obviously a gun and the cause of the explosions. "You ruined my night blondie," the man snarled, "and for that I'm going to ruin you!"

Jaune was afraid, but he didn't let that show. He wouldn't give this prick the satisfaction!

"Say goodnight!"

But the death blow was stopped. "Hey!"

It was Ruby, her scythe deployed and in her hand as she stood on the roof of one of the many warehouses.

The criminal's attention shifted to Ruby, and in that single instant Jaune took his chance.

Quickly switching to fire Dust, he blasted the prick with all his might. The plume of fire was massive, and burnt hotter than anything that Jaune had ever produced before. The blind boy roared as the heat burnt his hands as well, but he kept up the assault even as the criminal was blasted backwards.

"Jaune!" he heard Ruby shout, but he ignored her. He had to focus, if he lost control of the flames for even a moment then he could accidentally ignite the Dust within the shipping containers.

More and more he pushed the fire, throwing the arsehole hard against the metal side of one of the warehouses. "Yeah!" he shouted once the fire crystal he'd been using began extinguished itself. "Take that!"

Jaune grinned into the flames, he could still see the simmering orange aura of the criminal; but it was greatly diminished compared to what it had been. He was winning!

Pyrrha and the golden Faunus guy had just finished up with the rabble, Pyrrha's aura quickly moving towards where Jaune was. "Are you okay Jaune?" she practically demanded, "I saw you take some hard hits."

"Nah, I'm fine!" Jaune waved her off, more concerned about Blake who was slumped against a shipping container. Her aura was very low, had she been caught by the edges of the fire? It seemed that way; nothing else could have taken her out so quickly. "I think Blake needs help though," the blind boy said worriedly, he couldn't let a friend down!

Or a friend of a friend anyway...

But Jaune's elation and worry soon turned to horror when he saw what could only be Bullheads swoop past overhead. Inside were many more Faunus souls, at least twice as many as they had already fought!

"Salutations, potential friends!" an impossibly cheerful voice rang out behind him and Pyrrha, "Please forgive me for this!"

Before either Jaune or Pyrrha could so much as turn around, two small hands clamped down on the back of their clothes with the strength only the greatest of hunters could match; then Jaune and Pyrrha found themselves being tugged through the air backwards until they were dully dropped onto the concrete ground.

"What-?!" Pyrrha exclaimed, but within moments her voice left her.

Jaune himself was at an utter loss for words, his mouth hanging open in shock and surprise. The… girl… that had just pulled them back had just fired some kind of massive aura attack at the Bullheads. But it looked so… _wrong._

Aura was meant to be the expression of the soul… a visible and physical manifestation of the soul… but this… _freak_ was just… empty. Aura gushed outwards like a tidal wave of unstoppable force, but there was no _life_ to it. It looked fake and alien, like there was nothing behind it. Only an aura that shouldn't exist. And the aura looked… mutilated too, like it was horribly damaged in some way...

Whatever this girl was… she shouldn't be alive, she _couldn't_ be alive.

But Jaune's reservations could wait; whatever this girl was, she had just killed a dozen people and maimed many more. She was obviously on their side however, and ignoring the fact that she was an unnatural abomination/murderer, Jaune was perfectly willing to avoid getting in her way for this.

"Jaune…" Pyrrha whispered from her position next to him. "are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

Ignoring the golden opportunity for another blind joke, Jaune could only nod dumbly as the aura freak ripped another Bullhead out of the sky and sent it crashing into what had once been a neat stack of shipping containers.

Right, okay… so the abomination obviously had things under control in that particular regard. Perhaps it would be best if he and Pyrrha focussed their efforts on collecting the no doubt unconscious body of the criminal that Jaune had narrowly beaten.

But… he was gone. The orange aura that Jaune expected to see wasn't there; very distantly, Jaune could see something that _might_ be the criminal… but it was too far away. Somehow, that prick had escaped! How?! How could he have escaped?!

Ugh, it didn't matter now. The freakish aura of the false girl was done with her overly cheerful murder spree, and was talking to Jaune and Pyrrha. But the blind boy wasn't listening; he was too busy staring at whatever _the hell_ it was.

Because it didn't have a _soul_.

 **A/N**

 **Yeah… so that happened.**

 **So there is frankly too much in this chapter for me to even try bothering to go over step by step, and I have faith enough in all of my dear readers that if any of you don't understand something you can just PM me and ask.**

 **BUT! There is something I do want to talk about! I had someone PM me a few days ago and ask about the difference in pacing between what's happening in the present day segments and the many years ago segments, mainly why present day had only covered about 1-2 days so far compared to about a four months (basically a third of a year) in the past.**

 **The short answer? I'm lazy.**

 **The long answer? In the many years ago segments I have about 15 years worth of history to cover while** _ **also**_ **covering only 1 year in present day. I am only writing the** _ **relevant**_ **details, the parts that will paint the picture of Nihilus' past enough for the readers to understand while still allowing them to imagine what they want for the bits in between. All that and the fact that I seriously doubt any of you** _ **care**_ **what Nihilus had for breakfast for the past 15 years, I know I don't.**

 **That said, let's look at the reviews:**

 **hirshja:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
Yes I have noticed this as well, many writers on this site don't seem to understand that since they are posting content on the internet that means that people with opposing views or ideals may see and disagree with them. I try to avoid this as much as possible myself, and if ever someone wants to talk to me about my writing then I'm perfectly willing to have a chat with them - be it an argument or a calm discussion like what we had.**

 **Smithrooks:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Yeah, hugs and new friends all around. Although I'd say that only in this chapter are they starting to get out of that awkward 'impaled to a tree' stage of friendship.**

 **Gravenimage:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
Thank you so much for all your kind words, I always love hearing from new reviewers.  
And fear not, Wraith will not contain any yuri or yaoi pairings. Ignoring the fact that all the girls on team RWBY (bar perhaps Ruby herself,) are clearly not... that way inclined, I only write things that I feel will add to the story I am trying to construct.**

 **Toddem Mach:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I don't believe I have ever heard that particular phrase before, though I'd say it's rather fitting.**

 **Tabris the 17th angle:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **When Nihilus uses the word 'hollow' to describe things… he isn't referring to Grimm. His original use of the word was based around the Grimm, though when he uses it now it is in reference of something else entirely.**

 **As to why Ozpin keeps Jaune around despite his utter inability to see Grimm… that will be explained in time, though not as soon as you guessed.**

 **blaiseingfire:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I probably could have written more, but as I stated above I have to cover 15 ish years in the same space as 1 year. I can't write** _ **everything**_ **about Nihilus' past - only the important parts.**

* * *

 **I hope you all have a great start to the new year, and don't forget to review!**


	11. The Dream Begins

Wraith

Chapter Eleven

Beta: Smithrooks

The Dream Begins

 **Vale, many years ago…**

So first semester had finally ended, and with it most of the other students of Beacon had gone home for the two week break. But seeing as Jaune himself couldn't exactly return to Dorme, lest his family stop him from returning to Beacon… well, he was stuck in Vale with nothing to do.

He had rented out the cheapest hotel he could find and just… sat and thought about stuff. It wasn't like he could do any homework or anything, and training was pretty much out of the question since his current method of fighting basically amounted to using as much destructive force as humanly possible with the elements. So he was just… ruminating on the recent turns his life had taken.

That incident at the docks had only been about two nights ago, and he still felt sore from all the hits he had taken from the man that he had dubbed 'The Prick' in his mind. Sure, Ruby explained later that it was Roman Torchwick, but calling him The Prick just had a nicer ring to it.

When Jaune had gotten back to Beacon after the colossal clusterfuck that was the fight at the docks, Team RWBY had been alarmingly grateful to him for 'saving' Blake. Okay, well, Ruby and Yang had been grateful; Weiss had just called him a dunce for not alerting the authorities or calling Beacon. But he was pretty sure that the icy girl had been grateful, maybe… possibly. She wasn't _not_ grateful, at the very least.

As for Pyrrha… well, she had started mothering him as soon as the police arrived. She had practically demanded that he sit down and wait for an ambulance, which wasn't exactly a bad idea, mind you; his hands had been practically roasted from all the power he put into that final attack and his head was ringing from a mild concussion. Pyrrha was interesting though, she had seemed so concerned over his health… she actually reminded him of his mother a little, though not enough to be creepy.

The psycho-murderer-freak with unnatural aura had been whisked away pretty much immediately after the authorities had arrived, and boy was Jaune glad about that. Maybe the others hadn't noticed, or perhaps they didn't want to notice, but that monster had murdered quite a few people - everyone inside the Bullheads that she had brought down. Sure, they were terrorists, but they were still people.

Ruby had told him that the girl's name had been Penny, and Ruby seemed totally unaware that there was actually anything wrong with the girl at all. Perhaps Penny looked physically normal? Just like any other girl, so she could better blend in? Anyone with aura sight like him would be able to immediately spot that she was _wrong_ , but the issue with that was that aura sight was a very rare ability to have. Ozpin himself admitted that he was hardly a master, and that he only used it sparingly.

As far as Jaune knew, aura sight was a skill less than 50 people around the world possessed, and one that none had bothered to master since it tended to take a great deal of time and practice. But that was okay to Jaune, as he could do nothing _but_ practice his aura sight.

The monstrous aura of the girl at the docks had actually gotten him thinking more about it; Ozpin and practically everyone else Jaune asked said that aura was the physical manifestation of the soul. And that certainly did seem to be the case at first glance, but Jaune wasn't so sure anymore.

When looking at a normal person with their aura still locked away, he could see that the glowing light of their soul was still there, but there was a thin shell that held it back. For hunters and anyone else with their aura unlocked, their lights had absolutely vibrant forms that oozed life and emotion from their bodies onto everything around them.

But that girl… he wasn't sure what exactly was wrong with her. Aura and the soul were meant to be the same thing, right? But when he had looked at her he had seen… nothing. Aura was still there, but there was no underlying _life_ to it. It was like someone had ripped away the only thing that gave it any semblance of true individuality and life.

That's why Jaune was starting to think that aura and the soul were different things. The girl obviously had aura - as scarred and mutilated as it was - but there was simply nothing behind it. She was as cold and dead as a rock or a slab of metal. Aura and the soul were obviously very closely linked, but they just couldn't be the same thing. When he looked at a person, he saw emotion; he saw pain, love, hate, regret, joy, all of it.

But when he had looked at Penny… there had been nothing.

But then what exactly was the soul? It was present in every living thing, for sure; everything from grass to people had a soul, with the single exception being Grimm. Could the soul be something else? A clearer expression of a person? Reading emotions through aura was difficult, but not impossible. Perhaps if he tried to focus on seeing past the colourful haze of aura, he would actually be able to see a person's soul and literal emotions.

Jaune shrugged; it was worth a shot.

From his position atop the questionably clean mattress of his hotel room, Jaune 'looked' at the world around him. The faded and dull colours of the old building he was in, the lifeless greys of cement and stone under the ground… and the explosively beautiful colours of random people as they went about their afternoon in relative peace. He could see it all, all the colours and shades of something he suspected was just a fraction of something far greater lurking just beneath.

Finally, Jaune settled his 'sight' onto the owner of the hotel. She had been a kind woman when he had met her, warm and very polite. She hadn't stared at his scars or even commented on them. What did she say her name was? It had sounded like something from Mistral, and her accent had only reinforced that… Misae? Yeah, that had been it. She had been wandering around the building doing her jobs for most of the day so far…

At first glance, Misae was pretty much a typical civilian; her vibrant yellow-coloured aura was shining brilliantly under the surface, and laid dormant. But for the first time since gaining his aura sight, Jaune looked at nothing else, his entire 'vision' narrowing in until she was the only thing that he could see.

Jaune instantly felt a slight sting in the back of his mind as he 'stared' at Misae, but at the same time it felt almost as if a fog had been lifted, and he saw things clearly for the first time in his life. Where before, Misae had simply taken the shape of an average-sized woman who was probably in her mid to late twenties, now she looked… more. He still saw her normal shape and form, but wreathed around her body there was an almost feline-looking creature made of the same comforting yellow light as her aura. It was wrapped around her in a loving embrace that instantly told Jaune that it wasn't a bad thing; if anything, it suited Misae perfectly in a way he would never be able to describe.

And he saw her emotions too. It was impossible to define it, but Jaune saw her emotions and felt them echo through him gently as he stared. He saw… contentment, happiness, old pain and sadness… it was almost like looking at a tapestry of such flawless creation that it perfectly reflected the owner.

A sudden and rather irritating ringing shattered Jaune's concentration, and in that single instant the gorgeous image of the soul he had just been looking at faded away once more to just the vibrant yellow of Misae's aura. Jaune couldn't help but feel a spike of irritation as he picked up his scroll from the bedside table. Who would be calling him? And couldn't they do it later? He was on the verge of a breakthrough here!

The blind boy fumbled around with the small device as it rang; he really needed to memorise where the answer button was…

Finally touching the right thing, the call connected with a gentle click, the voice on the other side speaking up instantly. "Ah, hey Jaune, how are you doing man?"

It was Cardin. Jaune could admit that he was mildly surprised that the other boy initiated a conversation with him; after the events of Forever Fall, Cardin and the other guys had apologised for not helping him more, and thanked him quite profusely for saving Cardin's life. But after that… they had been rather distant with him. Sure, they had stopped treating him like just some lackey, but all conversation and general interaction had practically ground to a halt between them. In the two and a half weeks that had passed since that day in the forest, they had treated him with polite disinterest at best.

"Sup Cardin," Jaune replied, his irritation over the interruption fading. "I'm doing okay, just chilling out in Vale. You?"

"Not bad," his leader said just a touch awkwardly, "hey, uh… me and the guys are gonna be in Vale for the next two days or so, and we were thinking that maybe you wanna come get a drink with us?"

Jaune felt his scarred and pitted eyebrows rise; Cardin and the others wanted to go out for drinks with him? He had never drunk any alcohol before, but as long as it was with friends then he was game to try. "Sure!" he breathed. Perhaps this was his chance to finally make them a proper, functioning team?

"Great, be ready in about twenty minutes. Me and the guys will pick you up from your hotel."

Jaune smiled as he heard the click of the call ending. Who knows, maybe this was the start of a great friendship?

* * *

 **Beacon, present day...**

"So he killed his own team?" Ozpin questioned.

"Yeah," Ruby sighed, "among many others that day."

Ozpin sighed as he stared at his mug of coffee. So much death… all because of one man. Would it ever end? Not just the Lord of Hunger, but all of mankind. Always hurting and killing each other, for no reason other than because they feel it's justified. Grimm were the real enemy, they would _always_ be the real enemy. Man was just too stupid and petty to realise that they were only aiding the foul creatures of darkness in their mission to wipe out mankind; Nihilus and all the others were irrelevant in the face of the greater threat.

"Do you know when his Semblance first began to manifest?" the elder headmaster asked eventually. As sad as it was, Nihilus did need to go, and any information would be helpful. "The Jaune Arc of this universe is different. He has different teammates, different circumstances. He will be a different person."

Ruby sat in pensive quiet as she stared at her helmet for a moment, but Ozpin couldn't tell what she was thinking. The girl kept her face blank and expressionless practically all the time, her silver eyes boring holes into the empty spaces of his office. "I can think of half a dozen times when it could have first appeared, but beyond what I've already told you I can't say for sure."

"Troubling…" Ozpin muttered as he took a sip of the heavenly drink held in his hands. If they couldn't pinpoint when exactly his semblance _began_ , then they might need to confine the Arc boy… or at least they would if they actually knew where he was.

Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos could actually be dead right now; they had disappeared along with Nihilus, and the last reported sighting of them was with the false lord himself mere metres away. Worse still, the alternate Yang was killed by Nihilus with neither of the two missing students nearby - or so the brief report from the late huntress indicated anyway.

"You don't know what he has done, Ozpin," the older Ruby whispered, her eyes far away as she remembered times long since past, "I can't allow that to happen again in this world."

"I know, Miss Rose," the far elder hunter breathed quietly, "but that doesn't give us the right. Nihilus is the one who committed the crimes, not Jaune."

"Same person," Ruby replied softly, her head lowered. "Some details might be different, but he's the same person."

Ozpin sighed. Jaune and Nihilus weren't the same person, he could tell. Jaune was a weak boy, but he had such potential for greatness… but Nihilus wasn't like that. Despite what the alternate team RWBY said about him being a monster, Ozpin was starting to think otherwise. He certainly acted the part well, even going so far as to look like a Grimm too… but Ozpin could _feel_ that wasn't all there was to him. When they had first met, he hadn't noticed at the time, but thinking back on it… Nihilus was sad. It seeped from his body and surrounded him in a barrier of his own misery.

Ruby and the others on the alternate team hadn't said anything about it, and it was obvious to him that they just saw him as a monster. But there was more to it, of that Ozpin was sure. Ruby hadn't exactly been forthcoming with details about what exactly made Nihilus the way he was, but she herself was mired in an unknown guilt that he couldn't even begin to decipher. Everything was wrong… Nihilus wasn't who RWBY said he was, and Ruby herself seemed almost broken.

If only it didn't have to be this way, if only it hadn't come to this... "My answer is final, Miss Rose," Ozpin finally spoke, his voice quiet but full of resolve. "If we are to reacquire young Mister Arc, then we will _not_ punish him for crimes he has not committed."

The younger hunter stared at him long and hard, her guilty silver eyes boring holes into his own brown eyes. "This is a mistake."

"Perhaps," Ozpin allowed, "but it is the right thing to do."

Ruby didn't say anything else, her thoughts far away in times long past.

* * *

 **Abandoned mineshaft, present day...**

Someone used lived here.

That was Jaune and Pyrrha's main thought as they walked through the lower levels. It had obviously been left alone for years; whoever had lived here was now long gone.

They had rushed to the lower levels of the facility when the Grimm had become too much to handle, and as luck would have it they had found sturdier doors to hold the feral beasts back. Jaune had carried Nihilus' prone form the entire way, and god had that been weird.

Jaune still wasn't sure what to make of the 'conversation' that he, Pyrrha and Nihilus had. The things he had said… was he really Jaune Arc from another universe? From _this_ universe? Was that even possible? And the other things… Who were 'Cinder' and 'Amber'? What made them so special? Why did things only go wrong when he absorbed them?

And the most important question of all… would Jaune become like Nihilus? If so, when? Can it be stopped? Or is he doomed to live a parasitic life until the day he died?

But those things were just background thoughts in the face of more pressing things. Like where they were now, in an abandoned - lived in - then abandoned again mineshaft. The rocky walls were covered in shelves lined with books and a thick layer of dust, and the ground was far smoother than any other part of the tunnels in the facility. With the small light that Pyrrha had managed to garner from a discarded lantern, Jaune could see that there was even a bed and stacks of canned food.

Just who had lived here? _Why_ would someone live here? It was as nice as you get as far as living in a dirty and damp cave went, but it was still a miserable hovel.

The deeper they moved into the makeshift home, the more uneasy Jaune felt himself grow. The myriad of books lining every wall had no titles, and the shadows cast by the lantern twisted and turned in the corners of his eyes, but as soon as he turned to stare at them they seemed normal.

And there was just _something_ about the hovel someone had called home… the walls seemed to exude an air of melancholy, like the deep sadness had seeped into the very stone of the mine itself. It seemed like the tonnes of rock around them mourned over something that he and Pyrrha were blind to, almost as if some terrible tragedy had happened here and Remnant itself wept over it.

Gently, Jaune set the prone form of Nihilus down on the dusty bed. Thankfully, Nihilus did seem to be getting better; the constant decaying and mending from earlier had ceased, and now he just looked like he was asleep. Though how the bastard could have slept at a time like this was lost on Jaune.

"What is this place?" Pyrrha asked as she carefully took note of everything in the room.

Jaune sighed as he slumped against one of the few walls that wasn't covered in bookshelves. "I don't know," he muttered, "when my sisters and I used to play here as children this wasn't here."

"We're in Nihilus' home universe, right?" Pyrrha sighed as she stared at some of the books without touching them. "And he is an older version of you; that means that this universe must be ahead of ours by a few years. So this place has yet to happen in our world."

"You're actually buying into that stuff?" Jaune groaned, "That portal stuff was just some dumb fairy tale, it can't be true."

"But what if it is?" Pyrrha protested, "What if Nihilus actually is you from another universe? Aren't you at least a little curious?"

Jaune _really_ wasn't. Whatever Nihilus was… he was way over their heads. Maybe Professor Ozpin would know how to go about the situation, but Jaune sure as hell didn't. "No, I-" he started, but was cut off when Pyrrha gave a shout of surprise.

Pyrrha had just tried to grab one of the hundreds of books that covered the walls, but as soon as she picked it up she dropped it in surprise.

"What?" Jaune demanded as he jumped to his feet, "What is it Pyrrha?"

Pyrrha's green eyes were locked onto the fallen tome in amazement. Ignoring Jaune's question, she gently reached down and picked up the book, her gaze shifting into wonder as she held the dull-looking, leather-bound book.

"Pyrrha?" Jaune asked again, growing more worried as he stared at his transfixed partner. "I think you should put the book down, Pyrrha…"

"Jaune…" she whispered slowly.

But Jaune was having none of it; that book was doing something, and he would put a stop to it. He snatched at the thick tome with his right hand; his fingers grazed the book for only a moment before he felt something both shocking and amazing.

For a moment he felt like he was on fire, his skin roasting under an alien heat. But then… he adapted. Jaune couldn't tell if the heat got colder or if he got hotter, but within a second he felt like he was standing in the sun on a warm summer's day, the gentle warmth covering every inch of his body in a loving embrace that reminded him of his mother.

But then the impossible voice started speaking, the sound nearly absolutely identical to Jaune's own voice. _"There are hundreds of different ways to unlock the aura of a Faunus or human,"_ it said, _"but the aura is just an expression of the actual soul. Its composition and feel are often dictated by the pass phrase used-"_

Jaune jerked his hand away from the book, and in an instant the feeling of comforting warmth and the voices stopped; he felt almost cold now. "What on Remnant was that?!" Jaune cried, already feeling deeply cold from the lack of contact with the single book.

Still wearing a look of utter amazement, Pyrrha looked over at Jaune. "This is proof!" she insisted, "Nihilus must have made these before he came to our universe!"

 _These? What is she talking about? There was only… one… book…_ Jaune gaped as his gaze wandered the room, finally taking note of just how many books there were. Nearly every wall was covered in blank, untitled tomes; stacks piled nearly roof-high littered the floor… they couldn't _all_ be like the book Pyrrha was holding, could they?

A deep, rasping gasp of air snapped Jaune's attention to where Nihilus lay on the filthy bed, his sapphire eyes locking onto Nihilus as he awoke.

Nihilus' sickly yellow orbs darted around the dimly lit hovel in what Jaune could only describe as bone-deep rage. "This place…" the false lord muttered furiously, "I killed the Gleam Eyes for them, and they banished me from the only place of solace that existed!"

Pyrrha and Jaune stared at the raging lord, his black robes fluttering weakly as he rose from the dirty bed. "Nihilus," Pyrrha said soothingly, "it's okay. We spoke to-"

"You're taunting me!" he roared over the Spartan's words, but it wasn't directed at Pyrrha at all. "You think I don't know? I am forever! I am the destroyer! I am GOD! All the power belongs to ME!"

Pyrrha staggered to the ground as Nihilus' semblance washed over her, the small dregs of aura she had been able to recover as she slowly built a resistance to Nihilus disappearing in an instant under his more focussed gaze.

"Enough!" Jaune roared when Pyrrha went down, "Stop! Before you kill her!"

The sickly yellow gaze of Nihilus locked onto Jaune, fury marring his snow-white face. "She dies anyway, the sellout and her team of hollows ensures that!"

Pyrrha whimpered, her skin beginning to hurt as her soul receded.

Jaune didn't know what exactly Nihilus was talking about, but he wouldn't let Pyrrha die. He was a hunter, and hunters protected people!

With a shout, Jaune rammed his fist into Nihilus' face with all his might; his wrist ached and his fingers throbbed from the improper punch, but _damn_ did it feel good.

Nihilus laughed as a thin trail of blood gushed out of his nose, "Good! Good! It means something to you? The rage, the pain! _Her!_ Hold onto that my dear shell, for we must leave this place with haste!"

Jaune stared aghast at the older man. Just what the hell was wrong with this guy? He punched him, and then gets praised for it? "What?" Jaune demanded as he turned away from the Lord to face Pyrrha, "Where are you taking us?"

Nihilus gently ran his bony fingers across the spines of the nearest books, his face twisting painfully as he stared blankly with his sickly yellow eyes. "I made a mistake my dear shell, I need to repair the damage that I caused when I brought us here."

Pyrrha finally managed to stagger to her feet, a weary expression on her face as she looked at the man she was beginning to pity. "Nihilus, what are you talking about? What damage?"

The Lord of Hunger swept around the room as he brushed his fingers across the books he made so many years ago. "Do you understand where we are, children?

Jaune glared at Nihilus. He wasn't a child! Not anymore at least.

"We're in your home world," Pyrrha interjected before Jaune could say anything.

"Yes…" Nihilus purred, "but we're not meant to be here. I forced us through, I made a hole in the world."

Pyrrha and Jaune looked lost as they stared at the pale lord. What was he talking about? A hole in the world? "What are you talking about?" Pyrrha asked gently.

"I made a hole," Nihilus grew very angry, but it wasn't directed at them. "The entire surface of this dimension and yours is splintered." He glared at seemingly nothing on the far side of the room, "I need to repair the damage before total event collapse."

Jaune and Pyrrha grew slightly nervous. Nihilus was acting very… serious. Normally he was a gibbering nutter, but if he was this adamant about something…

"Okay, say we believe you," Jaune muttered slowly, "what do we do now? Why don't you just go fix the problem?"

The stone walls rattled and some of the books fell to the floor as Nihilus began to lose his temper. "I need more power, I am so very hungry right now… but we don't have time, we must act quickly!"

"Okay… so what do we do?" Pyrrha asked worriedly. Whatever Nihilus meant by 'total event collapse' couldn't be good…

"There is only one place we can go," the fallen Arc hissed, "we must make haste to Lavender Town!"

 **A/N**

 **Let me start by saying I dislike Pokemon, though for those of you in the know you will quickly understand the meaning of the reference when chapter 12 is posted.**

 **So, other important things to note in this chapter; most of you probably hadn't noticed, but Nihilus never actually speaks to Pyrrha. Whenever he is talking it's either directed at Jaune or something that no one else can see. That is, until this chapter. Nihilus didn't** _ **quite**_ **speak directly to Pyrrha, but he referred to both Jaune** _ **and**_ **Pyrrha when he said "Do you understand where we are children?" Interesting thing to note… could anyone guess why this is?**

 **Also, some of you might be interested in Nihilus comment about the "Gleam Eyes" in both this chapter and in chapter 8. Hint hint…**

 **On another note, how old do you guys think Nihilus is? I had an interesting PM conversation with a reviewer and I was actually rather surprised by how far he undershot the age. I'm perfectly happy to tell you all, since it doesn't really spoil anything, but I think you guys will be surprised.**

 **If you're desperate for more information, read my answers to these reviews! I am far less subtle when I answer questions! that aside let's look at the reviews:**

 **Dethcat:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
To answer your first review: thank you, I do try to make things interesting.**

 **Second review: Nihilus never had any particular desire to save Dorme, although it won't be outright stated until later chapters Nihilus only wanted Jaune to stay away from Beacon. And no, in my stories I settled on the name 'Dorme' for Jaune's hometown. In** **canon no name has been given as of yet, though I am aware that some other stories (the most notable being Spectrum by Super Saiyan Cyndaquil) use the name Domremy.**

 **Third, and my favourite review: Yang and Jaune were never particularly close, though at the time of that photo they could be considered friends by extension. Later on Nihilus was involved in the deaths of everyone else in the picture (NRVR, WASB, and the Y of RWBY) though he was not the only party at blame.**  
 **You're correct in assuming that the picture was taken shortly after the Breach prior to the Vytal festival, though that is hardly his happiest memory. The memory 'fragment' seen in chapter ten takes place about 6 or 7 years after the end of the tournament; and while it** ** _does_ involve Pyrrha, she is not the primary part of the memory. The reason for this should become slightly clearer by about chapter twelve: Ghost of Tomorrow.**

 **I loved reading your reviews, I always enjoy hearing what people think of my stories.**

 **Toddem Mach:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Good luck on that house of yours, I hate it when mine explodes…**

 **Jaune Black Smudge:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
Actually, I totally agree with you.  
Surprised? Ironwood only wants what is best for Remnant as a whole, and generally speaking he would be far more compassionate than I portrayed him. But not only was Ruby being antagonistic, but the information that Nihilus could (and did in Ruby's universe) provide is practically priceless. Ironwood wouldn't be so pushy if it were under different conditions, but the idea of an army of Penny like mechs to drive back the Grimm and save pretty much all of mankind is kind of hard to argue against when the only price is the life of one man - a murder and a threat at that.**

 **I appreciate that you were honest in your opinion and not just blindly praising me, I am always willing to hear out whatever people have to say - positive or negative.**

 **Penny is a tricky subject to broach; no matter how you look at it someone (Polendina I assume) took someone's aura - their soul - and stuffed it inside a metal body that would forever be unable to live life as a real person. Perhaps Penny was the daughter of Dr. Polendina, whoever she was then is long dead - killed by whoever stuffed her inside a cold and unfeeling metal body. Why would Ironwood care if someone's daughter was dying? Sure it would be sad, but it also wouldn't be his problem. Ironwood is the literal head of the entire Atlasian military, he has more to worry about than the death of a single girl - regardless of whether she was training to be a huntress or not. Ironwood isn't cruel, but he has to think of the bigger picture. He only would have helped Dr. Polendina with Penny's creation if it had long-term benefits that would ultimately help him against the Grimm and other undesirables.**

 **Even Penny herself acknowledges that she "isn't a real girl", and unless she died as a five-year-old (I mean really, she lacks pretty much all pretence of social skills) then I doubt she was ever real to begin with. Penny is a creation, a machine designed to fight and kill. Perhaps a girl called Penny did exist at some point, but if that is the case then I would say that P.E.N.N.Y is Dr. Polendina's attempt to revive the dead.**

 **I can understand the appeal of having retired hunters put into new bodies on an intellectual level, but really think about that. Everything you are, everything you were, everything that you could be changed in an instant with the removal of your body. Forever trapped in a cold and unfeeling metal cage that can never truly be considered alive or human. I don't know about you, but personally that sounds like the worst sort of purgatory imaginable. I'd rather die than exist like that.**

 **blaiseingfire**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **What can I say? I like to mix things up.**

 **Tabris the 17th angle:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Actually, an interesting thing to note is that physically Nihilus is the way he is because he wanted to be like that. But mentally… yeah, that screwed him up pretty badly.**

 **The way team RWBY has been acting is mostly born out of hatred and pain, though it is within reason - they have all lost someone to Nihilus. Ruby herself is the only one that realises that Nihilus isn't just a total villain, but she see's killing Jaune as something of a mercy so he didn't have to live like his counterpart did. She acts more out of pity than outright hatred, though the same isn't true for the other members of the team. Weiss, Blake and formerly Yang don't care about what made Nihilus the way he is, they just care about stopping him - even if it means killing someone who** _ **might**_ **become another Nihilus.**

 **And don't worry, the past lives of the alternate RWBY will be fleshed out. Not all of the 'many years ago…' segments are going to be from Jaune's perspective, just most of them. The perspectives of RWBY and other supporting characters will be seen, though only to show things from a different angle to how Jaune see's stuff.**

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading, and don't forget to leave a review!**


	12. Ghost of Tomorrow

Wraith

Chapter Twelve

Beta: Smithrooks

Ghost of Tomorrow

 **Vale, many years ago…**

Jaune sighed lightly as he sat on the bench waiting for his flight into Beacon. Words just couldn't describe how much he hated flying; the nausea that it gave him was easily the worst thing in the world.

And he disliked how everyone else seemed so impeccably cheerful, despite the fact that practically everyone at the airport was going to board one of those cold steel death traps. Why did Beacon have to be built on a hill surrounded by both a Grimm-infested forest and an equally Grimm-infested lake? Why couldn't there just be a nice, Grimm-free road he could walk? That would really make things nicer. Maybe he would do that one day, build a bridge or something.

But his dreams of the future hardly mattered right now. His flight was still about half an hour away, and he was so _bored_. He had spent the last two weeks of his holiday as any self-respecting teenager would: ignoring homework - not that he could do much anyway - and drinking himself stupid with his friends.

It had been _glorious._

But that time had passed, Beacon was only a day away from starting up again, and he was both excited and rather down about it. Excited, because he could see the rest of his friends again - Pyrrha and Ruby mostly, their teams were mostly friends by extension - and down, because he would probably burn his hands to a crisp again as soon as he started training. He had only recently been able to remove the bandages over his hands with the help of the kind woman that ran the hotel he had been staying at, and he wasn't keen on burning them all over again.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to start seriously training with some of the other types of Dust? For the most part, he had only used fire and had trained very little with lightning, water and gravity Dust. Maybe now would be a good time to start working on air, earth and ice. Perhaps he could even start mixing them to see what results he could get? Combinations like fire and water or lightning and water probably wouldn't work out too well, but all the others were fair game really.

Who knows, maybe he could even ask Weiss about Dust. She was supposed to be the heir of some big international corporation, wasn't she? And she used Dust as a supplement to her fighting style with that rapier, so logically she would know about this kind of thing.

Or maybe he could avoid that particular landmine altogether; the girl seemed to harbour quite the disdain for him ever since he tried his luck flirting with her before initiation. He hadn't made any attempts at flirting with her since then, too busy trying to adapt to his new disability, but her attitude was… frosty, at best. Even after the incident at the docks Weiss had been less than pleased to speak with him, in complete disregard of the fact that he and Pyrrha had just saved Blake. Maybe Weiss just thought he was ugly? Several other people were like that; even Sky and Dove from his own team didn't really bother to hide their opinions on his looks.

But truthfully speaking… Jaune found himself not really caring what people thought of him anymore. In Beacon, other students muttered things about him when they thought he couldn't hear, they pointed and laughed when they thought he couldn't see. But he couldn't really do anything about it, his appearance was rather beyond him at this point - he didn't even know what he looked like anymore. What use was a mirror to a blind man? He knew his scars made him ugly - his team was _kind_ enough to tell him that much - but beyond that… nothing.

It was actually rather sad, already he felt himself forgetting what other people looked like. His team, RWBY, NRVR, Ozpin… all of them were indistinct blurs when he tried to recall what they physically looked like. He could spot their auras a mile away, each so very different from the others in colour and feel.

But now he had more work to do with his vision, and it was all so incredibly exciting that Jaune could hardly contain himself. His 'aura sight' was what he normally used to perceive the world around him and see all the colours, both faded and vibrant. But during the past two-ish weeks, he had been practicing his new 'soul sight' as much as he possibly could. He was still dreadful with it compared to aura sight, but as far as he was aware he was also the only person in the entire world that had ever done it, so some slow progress could be excused.

Soul sight was almost magical in the way it made him see someone. It was like opening a book and seeing what made someone who they were; all their emotions suddenly became impossibly clear, and he got to see what their true soul form was. Granted, he could only 'observe' one person at a time, and when he did it required practically all of his focus to the point that he was literally blind to everything else in the world.

But the results were more than enough, even if he sometimes felt slightly guilty for the things he found out when he used it.

At first he had observed people who still had their aura bound; they were slightly harder to read, but hunters were practically open books. Later he had used it on Cardin, Sky and Dove… the things he knew now…

Cardin's soul was shaped like a majestic bird that soared with pride and power within the large boy. The bird was filled with such confidence, but deeper within the confines of the steely soul was sadness and melancholy. Stories of a father that had never cared, of a mother that loved but was taken away too soon. All deeply personal information, things that Cardin would likely bludgeon Jaune to death for if he found out that he knew.

Cardin was power; his pride gave him strength and his anger gave him the resolve to push through any challenge set before him. That much was clear to Jaune now, the larger boy had his own reasons for everything he did.

Sky and Dove were much the same, though different in their own ways. After seeing Cardin's true form and soul Jaune had been hesitant to use his new ability on anyone else; it was an invasion of privacy after all. But it was almost intoxicating when he saw a person for who they truly were, the insight it gave him was almost staggering - and in a way, it had helped him make his team become closer. It wasn't exactly manipulation, but now he knew how to deal with each of his teammates in such a way that they would each be satisfied and feel comfortable.

It was perhaps on the dubious side of morality, and not something a proper hero would do… but ever since he gained the skill of soul sight, Jaune found himself believing in heroes less and less. In a way he had always known, he had just never really accepted it. Everyone did what they thought was right or necessary, and no villain did something because they were 'evil' - they always did it for a reason.

This revelation came when he saw Cardin's soul, the majestic eagle of pure silver that made up everything Cardin Winchester ever was, is, or will be. Cardin was extremely racist towards faunus - a trait that Jaune would have considered 'evil' or 'wrong' had he been asked about it prior to seeing Cardin's soul. But _why_ was Cardin racist? Because of his mother, or what was done to his mother at any rate. Jaune wasn't clear on the details, but from what he could garner using his soul sight he could tell that she had been killed by a Faunus.

Was it wrong to condemn Cardin, knowing what he now knew? Before, he had been willing to overlook it because of the debt he owed Cardin, but now? Now he understood.

There was no good or evil, only a different point of view.

"Jaune?"

Jaune snapped out of his rather serious thoughts with a start; he had completely zoned out, and had stopped paying attention to his surroundings.

"Jaune? Are you listening?"

Jaune grinned weakly as the subject of his thoughts spoke to him. Good old Cardin… "Sorry Cardin, just thinking about stuff."

"Right, whatever," the larger boy muttered, "our ride to Beacon is here now, so get moving."

Oh joy, he'd have to be trapped on one of these abominable steel machines that were the scourge of his stomach. "Yay…" he muttered.

But obviously Jaune's less than enthused look must have shown on his face. "Look Jaune, if you even _think_ about vomiting on me like you did on Sky the other night, then you are in for a world of hurt in our next training session."

Heh, Sky still hadn't forgiven Jaune for that. But as Jaune continually pointed out, it was Sky's fault. It was that idiot's idea to have a less than sober Jaune ride a round or two on a local merry-go-round - because why the hell not? Let it be known that motion sickness plus beer plus merry-go-round equals only misery and stained clothing.

"Sure Cardin," Jaune grinned, "wouldn't even dream of it."

* * *

 **Lavender Town, present day…**

Jaune and Pyrrha hit the hard ground with a harsh thump, the dirt hard and unyielding under the night sky above.

Nihilus stood over them, his unseeing yellow eyes glaring at the two teenagers dumped at his feet. "Stay close, my dear shell," the lord purred darkly towards Jaune and Pyrrha as they staggered to their feet, "we enter the town of forgotten spirits. If you stray too far, then they will consume you."

Jaune spat dirt out of his mouth as he glared at his counterpart. The trip to the desolate area they were in now had not been a pleasant one; Nihilus didn't have the strength to fly anymore, and so he had been forced to make giant leaps that covered a dozen kilometres each jump - all while Jaune was forced to both carry Pyrrha and somehow keep hold of Nihilus without the two of them touching.

Hours had passed with Nihilus seeming not to notice the biting cold as it grew dark, but Jaune and Pyrrha weren't quite so lucky. The warm weather of the late summer that the two young hunters had been used to just as they were starting school was gone, and it was obviously either autumn or winter in this world since everything was covered in a thin layer of ice and snow.

But as usual, Nihilus either didn't care or didn't notice.

"'Town of forgotten spirits'?" Jaune demanded through chattering teeth, "What the hell does that mean? I thought you said we were heading somewhere called Lavender Town!"

"Jaune…" Pyrrha muttered from beside him, her eyes looking over their surroundings vividly. "Look…"

Jaune tore his eyes away from Nihilus for the first time since landing, and finally looked at his surroundings. They stood on the edge of a decimated village, the darkness of night giving off an eerily creepy vibe as both he and Pyrrha peered at the ruined buildings. There was absolutely no life to be seen; all the trees nearby were dead, and even grass didn't grow. All the buildings were hollowed out skeletons, the walls hardly strong enough to hold up the roof. What was once vibrant paint covering houses was now little more than a dead grey that seemed to absorb any light.

It looked like this place had been abandoned for a century at least.

"This _is_ Lavender Town, my dear children," Nihilus purred as he hastily strode into the village proper, his yellow eyes alert. "I made this place, I destroyed this place." A deep, burning rage erupted from the lord as he walked, "After I killed the false king, after I took my righteous justice!" But the anger faded just as quickly as it came, a deep melancholy spearing through his next words. "I took too much, I became too great and she would have hated me for it… they both would have hated me for it… but I can't just let go… I can't…"

Jaune and Pyrrha shared a look, what was Nihilus rambling about now? Who was the 'false king'? And who is 'she'?

"Nihilus," Pyrrha intoned gently, "what are you talking about? You took too much of what?"

They walked deeper into the town, and Jaune couldn't help but feel like a dozen different eyes were watching them. But no matter how much Jaune looked around him, he couldn't see anyone other than Pyrrha and Nihilus. Just what the hell was wrong with this place? It made his skin crawl in ways he could hardly even describe.

"The power is rightfully mine," Nihilus hissed as they entered a bleak circular courtyard, "it belongs to me. I earned it as retribution for what he did, for what they _all_ did!"

"Guys…" Jaune muttered, not really caring much for Nihilus' ramblings, "do you feel like we're being watched?"

Nihilus stopped walking and spun around to face the two young hunters, "Of course we're being watched!" his voice cracked like a whip, utterly stopping Jaune and Pyrrha where they stood. "You must be careful children, they know I am beyond them so they will try to take you instead."

Well that made absolutely no sense at all, but both Pyrrha and Jaune weren't willing to push the matter. If Nihilus said something was dangerous, then they should be extremely careful.

"So what are we doing here if it's so dangerous then?" Jaune demanded, "You said you needed to gather power, you do that by draining aura - but there's nothing here."

Nihilus stepped into the centre of the dead courtyard, his black robes dragging on the ground behind him. "My dear shell," his voice seemed all too loud in the impossibly quiet ruin, "can you not see? This place is full: full of life, full of energy, full of _souls_."

Jaune stared at his counterpart, blue eyes boring into the pale face of the dark lord. "Right…" he muttered eventually, not really sure what Nihilus meant. The guy was obviously crazy, so why take anything he said seriously?

"Nihilus?" Pyrrha questioned suddenly, her voice breaking the silence. "Would you prefer it if we called you Jaune?"

Jaune almost felt his heart stop as Pyrrha spoke. What was she thinking? That… _thing_ wasn't him! They weren't the same person, despite what that… fragment… had said. Nihilus was cold and dark, a murderer and a villain. They just _couldn't_ be same person. It wasn't possible.

Apparently the Lord of Hunger had similar thoughts.

"No…" he whimpered, his yellow eyes filled with tears. "No… not Jaune, they came and they took him away. Jaune died…" his sadness was so deep that Nihilus seemed to wilt, "Me, Myself and I are what came later. Nothing matters anymore, the world turns and the hollows will _never_ end. All the pain and death, all the struggle, all the suffering… it doesn't _matter_. Nothing _matters_."

Pyrrha and Jaune stared at the false lord, green and blue eyes focussed intently on Nihilus as he cried. What did he mean, 'nothing matters'? And what were the 'hollows'? So many questions, so little answers.

"Enough," Nihilus suddenly snapped, his face turning resolute. "We have wasted enough time, I need more power. Do not touch _anything,_ children," a nasty smirk twisted his features, "or you will die."

Nihilus didn't say anything else. For the first time since Jaune had met the insane lord just over a day earlier, the man didn't demand their attention with his mere presence. Instead he almost seemed to fade into the ambient darkness around them, becoming intensely difficult to focus on in the process. Even the stark white of his skin and hair suddenly became difficult to keep sight of; it was almost as if he was a wisp in the utter darkness of the night around them.

"He must be gathering power somehow," Pyrrha guessed from beside Jaune, "We shouldn't interrupt him."

Jaune sighed and slumped to the ground. He was so tired… but he knew he had to stay alert. This place… this _Lavender Town,_ was _wrong_. It felt like hatred and misery was etched into the stone it was built upon, like this place was cursed and left to rot by something foul in nature.

"What do you suppose happened here?" Jaune eventually questioned when he felt himself falling asleep. He hadn't slept since Nihilus had kidnapped him in Forever Fall, and that was almost two days ago now…

"I don't know," Pyrrha admitted, "but I have heard of Lavender Town before."

Jaune's eyebrows nearly went above his hairline. Pyrrha had heard of this place before? Why didn't she say so earlier? "What?" Jaune practically demanded, "Why didn't you say so before? I've been racking my mind to try and work out how this place was destroyed, because this really doesn't look like the type of thing the Grimm would do."

It was true; this place was obviously not the work of Grimm. Grimm usually leave some pretty obvious signs of their involvement: half-eaten bodies, signs of struggle with the inhabitants… but this place was just dead. Like everything living had just died at the drop of a hat, and then the entire town was condemned to the ravages of time.

Pyrrha sat down next to Jaune, her form shivering slightly in the cold night air. "That's just it though!" she exclaimed, "Lavender Town is one of the most prominent trading towns between Vale and Atlas, right on the northernmost part of Sanus. Even if the town was invaded by Grimm, neither of the two kingdoms would allow their best trade route to fall."

Jaune was silent for a moment, his weary mind tumbling through all the different possible explanations for the decimated ruin that now surrounded them.

"Let's say for a minute that I actually believe that alternate world stuff," Jaune thought aloud, "we already know that this universe is ahead of ours by a few years. So that must mean that whatever happened here hasn't happened yet in our world."

Pyrrha yawned and leaned backwards, the heavy bags under her eyes seeming all the more prominent as she tried to stay awake. "Yes," she agreed quietly, "but this wasn't the work of Grimm, and it wasn't the work of people either."

"I don't know," Jaune admitted as he tried to focus on the stationary form of Nihilus on the other side of the courtyard, "But doesn't it feel strange? Like everything here is dead, but we're being watched at the same time?"

The champion beside him hummed her agreement, "Yes, but I can't shake the feeling that this place is also sad…"

Jaune closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Yeah… like something terrible happened here…" he kept his eyes closed for a few moments more. How easy it would be to just doze off here…

But with what seemed herculean effort, Jaune forced his eyes open.

But he regretted it in an instant.

Nihilus hovered an inch away from Jaune's face, his startling yellow eyes looking deeply into Jaune with an intensity that rattled the younger Arc.

Jaune reared his head backwards jerkily with a small shout of surprise as his counterpart stared at him like he was a small child, "Wha-! Don't do that!" Jaune exclaimed, "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

But Nihilus didn't say anything.

"Nihilus?" Pyrrha questioned tiredly from her spot next to Jaune, "What's wrong?"

The false dark lord merely tilted his head to the side, as if he were looking at something strange. "You are tired," he announced finally, an odd nostalgic note to his voice. "When was the last time you slept, children?"

Jaune and Pyrrha _were_ tired, but why did Nihilus suddenly care?

Nihilus cackled softly as he waved his right arm around, a small fire pit appearing before the two young hunters. With a simple click of his emaciated fingers, a warm orange fire sprung to life despite the lack of any fuel source, the flame almost instantly breathing warmth into the chilled teenagers.

"Rest now my dear mortal shell and illusion, I will not fail again."

Jaune's mind told him not to sleep, but he was so tired… could he really trust Nihilus not to kill Pyrrha while he slept?

"Thank you Nihilus…" Pyrrha murmured as she let the call of sloth take her.

Jaune felt his eyelids closing gently… he could trust, just this one time…

And finally, Jaune rested.

* * *

 **Unknown, present day…**

 _Jaune felt himself float through the dream around him in pleasant serenity. He was in a massive grassy field, the gentle rolling hills offset by the vibrant green of the grass and the shine of the sun high above. He didn't know what he was doing, or what was going on, but he felt happy. Like he was just… content with the world around him. Nothing was wrong or out of place, but nothing was so great or amazing that he had to take notice._

 _But… there was one thing._

 _One single thing that was out of place._

 _Just dancing at the edge of his perception, there was… someone. Jaune couldn't quite see who, they kept dancing just out of his sight…_

" _Hello?" Jaune called out, "Is someone there?"_

 _He didn't see anyone anymore… had they left? That was a shame, it was such a nice day and he would have enjoyed the company…_

 _A gentle giggle broke Jaune from his pleasant thoughts, his mind drifting back to the moment at hand. With a gentle turn of his head, Jaune looked to the source of the quiet feminine giggle; it was a young girl, she looked like she was only about 5 or 6 years old. Her vibrant red hair was tied back loosely, and her deeply violet eyes stared into Jaune's blue eyes with deep affection._

" _Hello there," Jaune said serenely, "would you like to join me?"_

 _The girl giggled again as she moved and sat down on the grass in front of Jaune, utterly unconcerned about staining her white dress. "You're dreaming, you know," she said through her gentle laughs._

" _Am I?" Jaune wondered, "Maybe you're the one who's dreaming."_

 _The girl smiled, her affectionate violet eyes looking at Jaune with nothing but adoration. "Maybe we both are, but this is a dream that I will never awaken from."_

 _Clarity speared through the dream haze that covered Jaune's mind, sharp awareness over his thoughts that he had never before experienced in a dream. What… what was happening? Suddenly he was acutely aware that he was dreaming, that everything around him was nothing but an illusion. What had caused this sudden change?_

" _You're beginning to see the dream around you now, aren't you?" The comment from the little girl snapped Jaune back to attention, his blue-eyed gaze locking onto her instantly._

" _What…" he breathed, "What did you do?"_

 _The girl tilted her head, her long, vibrant red hair swaying gently in the breeze. "Me?" she asked, "You're the one who is seeing it all now."_

 _She was right… where before, there had been nothing but an ocean of deep green grass in every direction, now Jaune saw it. Blood. So much blood everywhere… staining the grass, seeping into his clothes, covering the girl…_

" _Who are you?" Jaune asked, knowing that any attempt to remove the red liquid was futile at this point. "Where are we?"_

 _The girl smiled warmly at Jaune; her exquisite violet eyes looked sad however, like she was trying to mask what she was feeling. "Whenever I had a nightmare, you used to read me stories… you'd say that it was my dream, that I controlled it." The unnamed girl rose to her feet, and suddenly her white dress vanished and was replaced by a thick purple coat and mittens. "Let me show you the dream… the place you dream of…"_

 _The girl extended her hand, and Jaune felt the overwhelming urge to take it. To follow this child to wherever she wanted to take him._

 _But the instant Jaune closed his hand around the gloved fingers of the little girl, the world around them changed. Gone were the bloodstained fields of grass, the coppery scent and the red covering the green._

 _Jaune held the girl's small hand as they stood in the middle of a snow-buried city. To their right, a bridge ran over an icy-looking stream. Waves of drifting snowflakes fell gently, and the little girl held Jaune's hand tighter…_

 _On their side of the bridge, kneeling in the middle of the street, was a man; his sobs of utter despair rang out loudly as he clutched something to his chest tightly. Behind the man stood six people, all wearing identical-looking black armour from head to toe; armour that Jaune recognized as being identical to the armour the huntress wore back in Dorme before Nihilus killed her._

 _The crying man was kneeling over a body as he clutched something to his chest; his sobs of sadness were almost smothering as he wailed out his sorrow. The body was… Pyrrha? No… she looked older. The Pyrrha look-alike wore a thick winter coat that was stained a deep crimson from an obvious bullet hole over her heart. Her emerald-green eyes stared lifelessly into the glassy sky above, her blood seeping into the snow._

" _What is this?" Jaune asked softly as he watched it all, his hand still gently holding the little girl's._

" _This is my past, and what could be your future," the girl said as she dragged Jaune forwards, her gloved hand tightly clutching his._

 _Jaune allowed the girl to drag him closer to the scene; the six armoured beings were speaking, but Jaune couldn't make out what they were saying - all the words were muffled and indistinct, but they were obviously arguing over something judging from their body language._

 _Closer and closer, the little girl dragged Jaune to the crying man and the body of the Pyrrha look-alike; the sobbing was interspersed with pleading, begging that Jaune could hardly understand through the wails of sorrow._

 _Finally the girl stopped dragging Jaune, and finally Jaune saw what the crying man had cradled to his chest… it was the little girl._

 _The exact same girl that had led Jaune here, she wore the exact same purple winter coat and mittens as the replica Jaune was currently holding hands with… but she was dead. Her clothes were stained with blood from a hole where her heart should be, her strikingly beautiful violet eyes dull and lifeless in death._

 _Jaune turned and stared at the girl that had brought him here. "Why are you showing me this?" he questioned, "This… illusion?"_

 _The girl let go of Jaune's hand and turned to face him, and with a start Jaune noticed that she was bleeding from a hole in her chest - just like the girl that man now cradled to his chest and cried over._

" _Look at him," the ghost said, "he cannot see me… not anymore…"_

 _Jaune turned and stared at the crying man. His blonde hair was matted with blood and soot… Jaune knelt down so he could get a better look… and promptly jerked backwards and fell flat into the snow in shock._

 _It was… himself? Three jagged, diagonal scars ran down his face and his eyes were pale… he looked distinctly like an older version of Jaune Arc, except… he was blind. Fat tears of agony dripped into the snow as he sobbed over the small body clutched in his arms, his sorrow so painfully clear that even the six armoured hunters behind him didn't intervene._

" _What…?" Jaune breathed in shock as he scrambled away from the older Jaune Arc, "Why are you showing me this?!"_

 _The little girl that led him here waved her hand, and the snowy city vanished. Her bloodstained coat was once again replaced by her original white dress. "He's still so sad…" the girl whispered as the land around them changed into just an empty grass field, "But he can't see me. He thinks that mummy and I hate him, but we don't! He needs to know that he is loved!"  
_

" _What?" Jaune demanded, his patience finally starting to wear thin. "What are you talking about?"_

 _The girl stomped her foot. "He can't see me!" she yelled, almost pleading with Jaune to understand. "I shout and scream for him, but he's so sad… he can't hear me…"_

" _Who are you talking about?" Jaune asked, "Make sense!"_

 _The image of the grassy field around them faded away once more, the little girl standing resolute as the world around them shifted back to where Jaune had been before he fell asleep - Lavender Town._

 _Except… he could see himself. Jaune stared at his body as it rested peacefully on the ground beside Pyrrha, the fire that Nihilus provided casting a warm glow of orange light on the two young hunters as they slept. Strangely, Nihilus stood over the two sleeping teens, his towering dark form casting flickering shadows as he stared blankly at both Jaune and Pyrrha._

 _Jaune stared at his body, aghast, "What have you done to me?" he demanded to the little girl, "Put me back in my body!"_

 _The girl hardly spared Jaune a glance with her gorgeous violet eyes, "When you wake you will return, but for now you need to see! You need to help me! Help him!"_

 _Small tears trailed down the girl's small face as she stepped closer to Nihilus, her expression one of utter empathetic sadness as she reached her hand out to touch the Lord of Hunger._

 _But her dainty little fingers just passed through him, like she was nothing more than a shadow trying to touch the light. "Please…" she begged quietly to Jaune as he stared, transfixed, "He can't see me… and mummy can't come… please help him…"_

 _Jaune was at a loss, who was this girl? Why did she want him to help Nihilus? "Please, I don't understand," Jaune whispered, "Who are you? Why are you showing me these things?"_

 _The girl turned to face him, her deep crimson hair swaying around behind her as she turned, "I can't-" whatever else she was going to say was cut off when she gave a terrible wail of pain, her deep violet eyes flashing in agony as she fell to her knees._

 _Jaune immediately rushed to her to see if he could help in some way. As confused as he was, he wouldn't allow a child to hurt while he did nothing and watched. He was a hunter, so he helped people._

 _As soon as Jaune reached out to touch the girl his hands just passed right through her, like she was nothing more than smoke. "What's happening?" Jaune breathed._

" _Please…" she cried through the pain, "Help him… you must… help him…"_

 _She was in so much pain… her small body shaking under the torment of agony unknown to him. "Okay," Jaune whispered, "I'll help him." She suddenly looked so frail…_

 _For a single moment, gorgeous violet eyes met sapphire blue. "Thank you…" she cried, "Daddy…"_

 _And in that single second, the dream ended._

 **A/N**

 **So… Nihilus is a father, or** _ **was**_ **a father anyway.**

 **As I mentioned last chapter, for those of you in the know about Pokemon you have no doubt realised that the little girl is something of a ghost. Though there is good reason for this; as long as Nihilus exists then she will too, in some form or another.**

 **The 'dream' that the girl showed Jaune was (obviously) a memory of sorts, the memory of Pyrrha's and the as of yet unnamed daughter's death. The girl didn't show Jaune to be cruel, she just wanted him to understand. While she is very intelligent for her age, she is still only 5 - not quite able to grasp the concept that while Jaune** _ **is**_ **the 'same' person as her father, he isn't actually** _ **her**_ **father.**

 **And looking at the beginning part of the chapter; what do you guys think of the new 'soul sight' that Jaune (Nihilus) has? It is an important skill that helped define his personality later in life.**

 **That aside, let's look at the reviews!**

 **thelastcenturion2015:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
While you're not wrong; I was referring more to the contradictory nature what exactly Nihilus said in the two chapters.**

 **hirshja:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
Actually, he's about 30. And in that time... well, shit got real.**

 **The conversation between Ozpin and Ruby was an important one, mostly to show Ozpin's perspective on the matter of killing Jaune. It is brought up again quite a bit in later chapters, and you'll get to see just how little Ruby cared about Ozpin's desire for Jaune to be spared.**

 **Nihilus, crazy and seemingly unpredictable though he may be, is an absolute master in terms of aura. This mostly stems from his years spent in solitude prior to arriving in the other world in chapter one. Half of it boils down to what the 'fragment' said in chapter 10, curiosity and boredom. An interesting thing to note, if Nihilus actually wanted to kill anyone in particular then nothing could be done to stop him. In terms of skill with aura, he is utterly unopposed at being the best in the world. In terms of Dust... well, only someone around Cinder's level is near him. Though he operates as more of a brute force Dust user, opposed to Cinder and Weiss' more finesse-heavy styles.**

 **Toddem Mach:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
I'd be disappointed if someone didn't, I wasn't exactly subtle with it.**

 **Saying young Nihilus doesn't like Penny is like saying water is wet. Though as for how long she survives... on pure technicality your statement isn't wrong. But Nihilus has been insane for less than a year, and considering that he's about 30... let's just say that Penny survives longer than you'd expect.**

 **And of course his relationship with Pyrrha is weird, it began with him being stabbed. I don't think that's how most friendships start, at least the healthy ones anyway.**

* * *

 **Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a review!**


	13. Fight of The Ages

Wraith

Chapter Thirteen

Beta: Smithrooks

Fight of The Ages

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

The first day of school is always the worst; it's the sudden shift from relaxed laziness to grumpy teachers and pissy students that does it. If there was one good thing that Jaune could always count on, however, it would be Beacon serving only the finest foods to their students.

Lunch was easily Jaune's favourite meal of the day, not just because he could eat as unhealthily as he liked, but because it was the one meal where his team allowed him to go and sit with Pyrrha and her team. Not that he disliked his own team; it's just that the friendship he had with them was… different than with Pyrrha.

Maybe because Pyrrha actually made conversation as she ate, unlike the rest of team WASB who just grunted and glared at anyone who interrupted their meal.

"Hey Pyrrha, how was your holiday?" Jaune asked as he settled down into the seat next to Pyrrha, the rest of team NRVR giving Jaune only a cursory glance before going back to eating - though Russel's aura practically simmered in agitation.

The black and gold aura that Jaune knew to be Pyrrha seemed to glow a little brighter, though without using his soul vision he could only guess what emotion that was meant to signify.

"It was very good," the Spartan girl said enthusiastically, utterly ignoring her partner's thinly veiled irritation at Jaune's presence. "I had forgotten how good my father's cooking was, much better than the food here."

Jaune smiled thinly at that. It wasn't like the food at Beacon was _bad_ , but it lacked… personality. Although that was hardly a surprise, considering that the school's chef was just some old Atlesian Knight robot that had been repurposed into cooking. Jaune wasn't exactly sure, but he was reasonably certain there was a story behind that somewhere. He also couldn't help but wonder who programmed the robot to think that students his age enjoyed eating whole swordfishes, but hey, who was he to judge?

Hearing Pyrrha talk about home actually made Jaune feel a little sad; he missed his family - particularly his mother's cooking. None of them knew about his disability... heh, none of them would recognize him now - _that_ would make for a fun homecoming when he graduated.

"Yeah, I bet," Jaune answered in lieu of his own thoughts. Pyrrha didn't need to hear his sob story; best to change subjects then. "So…" the blind boy said slowly, "before last semester ended, you asked me if I could teach you how to see like I can…" Damn if that didn't sound awkward, especially given that the rest of team NRVR was seated at the table. "If you still want me to, that is!"

Wait… the rest of team NRVR was at the table, why was Nora holding that pie like she was about to throw it…?

"That sounds grand Jaune!" Pyrrha exclaimed, utterly unaware of the pending disaster. "Why don't we-"

Whatever else the champion was going to say was cut off when from across the room Weiss gave a gasp of utter, and quite reasonable, outrage as Nora's pie slammed into her face.

"Oh… oh my…" Pyrrha muttered as she stifled a giggle.

A moment of absolute silence dominated the entire cafeteria, but that moment was absolutely shattered when the ever composed and dignified Weiss Schnee gave a shout of righteous anger as she hurled her salad at Nora's face.

Jaune could only shiver as the hall broke into chaos; when he was younger the Arc family had quite a few food fights, and John Arc, being the mature and responsible father he was, always followed the only option available to him - join in.

One would think that a fight of eight against one would be fairly simple, right? Dead wrong. John Arc wasn't a top class hunter for nothing; that man could throw food hard enough to maim.

And now as the hall around him descended into a chaotic mess of fleeing students and the embattled teams RWBY and NRVR, Jaune could only hope that he had inherited at least _some_ of his father's culinary warfare skills. So with that firmly in his mind, Jaune put all of his tactical knowledge into practice and came up with the perfect way to start this war.

Hide behind a table.

Pyrrha had abandoned him and joined her team in what seemed to be some demented version of a castle - complete with the team's resident Nutcase-Nora singing about how she was the 'queen of the castle'.

Team RWBY seemed to be at something of a disadvantage - though that was hardly his problem. Jaune wanted to win this for himself, so screw the others.

With a battle cry for delicious vengeance team RWBY leapt into battle with team NRVR, watermelons flying through the air as a testament to NRVR's defiance.

Luckily for Jaune he had plenty of ammo, as the table he was currently cowering behind - in a manly way of course - was covered in uneaten food. So with a shout of what he hoped was righteous, tasty anger, he hurled a juice box at the closest enemy - which just happened to be Weiss.

The prissy girl was of course offended at getting sticky juice all over her, though Jaune hardly had any time to gloat over this as he suddenly found a watermelon exploding rather violently over his head - courtesy of Pyrrha.

Well, if she wanted to play that game then Jaune could certainly oblige.

With a grunt, Jaune hurled a nearby apple back towards Pyrrha, the small projectile working as a wonderful distraction to what Jaune planned next.

Water Dust generally worked best when controlling or creating large bodies of water, but with enough aura and effort, water Dust could work on pretty much any liquid of similar density. Like say… soda.

Ignoring what was no doubt going to be a monumental headache later, Jaune slipped a water Dust crystal into his hand and sent out a thrum of his aura to all the cans of soft drink in the room, the liquids within practically exploding out of their metal shells and coming to him in a wave of sugary goodness.

Jaune couldn't help but chuckle aloud when he saw the auras of everyone else in the room flicker in alarm and shock. To him, it all just looked like a thin shimmer of his own aura guiding the lifeless light of the soft drink, but to them? It was probably rather disconcerting to suddenly find what amounts to an indoor tidal wave of pure sugary goodness practically appear before their eyes.

And all this… he did for Pyrrha. Jaune may not be the strongest fighter, but _no-one_ gets a free shot on him anymore. That watermelon she had thrown at his head earlier… well, this was just him repaying the champion with a little interest.

"Taste that, Pyrrha!" Jaune shouted with what amounted to manic glee as all of team RWBY and NRVR were knocked off their feet and swept away, "Taste my sugary revenge!"

Jaune felt so giddy at his apparent victory that he could dance, he had just _wiped the floor_ with two full teams of hunters! Sure, if it had been a real fight then they would have creamed him, but did that matter right now? No! Jaune was the victor! He was the conqueror! Jaune the undefeated! Hell, he felt like he should get a lordship for this. Lord Jaune! Now that had a nice ring to it, just wait until he could rub this in Cardin's face-

Why was he floating in mid air?

Indeed, Jaune had only just noticed it, so caught up in the thrill of what he believed to be a victory that hadn't noticed the arrival of the woman that he now feared the most in Beacon - Glynda Goodwitch.

Her aura practically quivered in rage, or was that her actually quivering from the dousing of soda he had just accidentally given her? At this point it probably didn't even matter, she was going to kill him.

"Mr. Arc." Oh god… the way she said his name… would his family be there for the funeral? Would they be sad, or just disappointed that he was killed by a teacher? "I believe you and I need to go and discuss your punishment."

The words said one thing, but she meant something else. The telekinetic grip she used to hold him aloft was actually making her intentions pretty clear, in a bone-crushing, throat-strangling kind of way.

"However," however… however what?! What was she gonna do to him?! "I believe that our discussion can wait until you hit the ground."

Hit the ground? The hell did that mean? "I don't-" his words were cut off, however. Funny how being hurled through the roof and flying a couple hundred metres into the air will do that to someone.

 _Well,_ Jaune thought to himself as gravity began to make itself known once more, _this just means I have one more person to get revenge on…_

* * *

 **Lavender Town, present day…**

Jaune awoke with a gasp, his blue eyes widening to the extreme as he jolted into wakefulness.

However, he regretted this instantly. As usual, Nihilus paid utterly no attention to the concept of personal space and practically smothered Jaune with a close-up intense look from his sickly yellow eyes. "You were dreaming," the false lord announced after a few moments of silence.

To his side Pyrrha slowly awoke, much more gracefully than Jaune and with a good deal less fuss. At first she seemed deeply confused with her surroundings, the weak dawn light casting the destroyed ruins of Lavender Town into a new creepy light that was different than the night before - but still no less unsettling.

Jaune quailed slightly under Nihilus' intense 'stare'. "Y-yes? It was weird."

Pyrrha yawned widely as she watched the scene unfold before her, though she apparently felt no particular need to intervene.

"I felt your confusion and anger, my mortal shell…" Nihilus purred, "it is your dream and you control it."

Jaune jerked backwards as soon as Nihilus finished speaking, his mind snapping back to the dream he had awoken from. The girl had said that… _The girl smiled warmly at Jaune. Her exquisite violet eyes looked sad, however, like she was trying to mask what she was feeling. "Whenever I had a nightmare, you used to read me stories… you'd say that it was my dream, that I controlled it." The unnamed girl rose to her feet, and suddenly her white dress vanished and was replaced by a thick purple coat and mittens. "Let me show you the dream… the place you dream of…"_

It was all coming back to him now; the dream, the girl, the things she showed him… what had it all meant? Why had she called him… _daddy,_ at the end? He was so confused…

"Nihilus…" Jaune said as he tried to push the lord away, "do you… do you know a little girl with red hair and purple eyes?"

The Lord of Hunger stilled, his entire frame rigid and unmoving for a single moment, sickly yellow eyes turning icy cold. Jaune and Pyrrha sat utterly frozen in the face of the expression on Nihilus' face, but the moment passed quickly and the false lord turned his back and stepped away from Jaune. "No," he muttered, his voice uncharacteristically serious, "I do not."

Jaune and Pyrrha shared a look as the lord stepped away. Just what had that been about? The reaction alone was enough for Jaune to know that he had lied about the girl, but _why_? Pyrrha wouldn't know since she didn't have the dream like Jaune did, but with just a glance even Jaune could tell that she was concerned about the reaction Nihilus showed. And who wouldn't be? Last time they saw Nihilus this serious, he forced them through that purple… portal thingy - which was easily the most painful thing either of the young hunters had ever experienced.

But for some reason, Jaune just couldn't shake the feeling that the dream had been important; the image of the little girl burned in his mind's eye unlike anything that he'd ever felt before. He felt like… like he needed to know, and if he didn't find out then something very bad would happen.

"Nihilus?" Jaune began to try again, "Are you sure you don't know a girl-"

It was so fast that Jaune didn't even see it coming. One moment Jaune had been standing facing the back of the robed lord, then the next moment Jaune felt his face collide with the uneven cobblestones of the courtyard with thunderous force. Through Jaune's eyes the world shook and stars danced merrily, but his face felt like it had been totally flattened against the stone.

It took Jaune a few moments to come to grips with what was happening around him, but even then things seemed slightly disjointed as the young hunter tried to sit up.

"Jaune?!" he heard Pyrrha call out, "Jaune! Are you okay?!"

But finally, Jaune's eyes responded properly; on his right side, Pyrrha was hovering over him with a deeply concerned expression on her face. Standing over Jaune with his hand raised into a slapping position was Nihilus, an expression of such thunderous _anger_ that Jaune instantly felt cowed at the mere sight of it.

The sheer murderous intent that Nihilus was putting off was frightening, so much so that for the first time since meeting the man Jaune actually felt his aura recede within himself slightly - a feat which had nothing to do with the elder man's semblance, only his anger.

But Nihilus wasn't done, apparently. With a mere flick of his wrist, a blast of air punted Pyrrha away from Jaune and through a nearby building, then with ease startling for such a thin man Nihilus grabbed Jaune by the throat and yanked him up to eye level.

Jaune choked in the elder man's impossibly tight grip. He couldn't breathe at all; his windpipe was being mercilessly crushed with strength that Jaune had absolutely no hope of being able to counter, despite his desperate attempts to claw at the ghostly white hand that held him aloft. "Never speak of her," the dead man whispered, rage flooding his sickly yellow eyes, "if you ever mention her again, I will kill you."

Jaune couldn't speak; the only noise he let out was a pained gurgle.

But suddenly a gunshot rang out, the bullet speeding towards Nihilus from the barrel of Pyrrha's rifle.

With his free hand Nihilus lazily swatted the bullet to the side, his head turning towards Pyrrha as she pulled herself out the broken wooden structure. Her fickle amount of aura had protected her from taking too much damage when she was thrown through the building, but from just a glance it was obvious that the girl didn't have aura to spare.

"Let him go!" the champion shouted as she held her rifle up, ready to fire again despite knowing how little effect it would have.

The sickly yellow eyes of Nihilus glared dangerously, his blind gaze levelling onto Pyrrha for just a moment. "Illusion," he hissed, before forcing the Spartan girl back to the ground with a concentrated dose of his semblance - she held onto consciousness, if only just.

Jaune choked and flailed as he tried to free himself from Nihilus' impossibly strong grip, but the effort was utterly moot in the face of the might of the Lord of Hunger.

The vibrant, unhealthy eyes of Nihilus focused on Jaune once more. "Do you understand, my shell?" he whispered, "Do not forget what I am, what _we_ are."

Then with only the laziest of motions, Nihilus dropped Jaune on the ground like he was little more than a sack of potatoes. Jaune coughed and sputtered as dark spots danced around in his vision; his throat felt like it was on fire, and each time he coughed he felt like he was hacking up his own lungs.

After a few moments of violent coughing Jaune forced himself to look upwards, his blue eyes only dully noting that Nihilus was once again in the faded, semi-transparent state he had assumed the night before. Jaune's eyes settled onto Pyrrha as she struggled to remain awake on the far side of the courtyard.

With what felt like herculean effort, Jaune dragged himself over to his partner; each breath he took felt like inhaling glass shards, but he didn't stop. Pyrrha needed him, and Jaune owed her this much.

"Pyrrha," he wheezed painfully as he drew close, "Pyrrha, are you okay?"

All was silent for a moment, and Jaune began to fear that Nihilus had done some permanent damage, but then two bone-weary, green eyes met Jaune's sapphire blue orbs. "Jaune," she whispered, her soul-deep fatigue obvious.

Jaune moved closer still, relief flooding his mind that his partner and currently only source of sanity was alright. Damn Nihilus for doing this to them; all this, over what? A vague description of a little girl Jaune saw in a dream? Obviously something larger was afoot here.

Jaune couldn't help but feel a swell of anger when he thought about it. All this crap that was happening to him and Pyrrha, it just wasn't fair! Initiation had only been, what, three or four days ago now? He and Pyrrha should be in a classroom in Beacon learning how to be hunters, not trapped out in the middle of nowhere with some psycho who killed and stole people's souls just for kicks.

Jaune's fiery blue gaze snapped towards the half-faded Nihilus on the far side of the courtyard. How dare he just sit there, utterly apathetic to their struggling-

A small hand stopped Jaune's angry thoughts utterly. The palm settled onto Jaune's left shoulder gently, and instantly he knew it couldn't be Pyrrha's hand - it was way too small.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, Jaune turned his head to see who the hand belonged to.

Blue eyes widened when they met the gorgeous violet eyes of the little girl from his dream, weak tears in her small eyes as she sat next to Jaune with a painfully sad expression on her face. Jaune opened his mouth to say something, but in a flash the girl disappeared, the feeling of her small hand on his shoulder lingering for only a split second before that too faded away.

What on Remnant was that?

 **A/N**

 **So… we all know that Nihilus has had a pretty shit life so far, but at least he won the food fight! Because that totally makes up for everything else right? Right?!**

 **So jokes aside, a little clarification here: quite a few people mistakenly made the assumption that the little girl (Nihilus' daughter) only appeared because of the location, and that she is 'bound' to Lavender Town itself. That is, in a word, wrong. The girl has been following Nihilus for years before he made his appearance in chapter one, she just hasn't had the strength or inclination to communicate with anyone bar two specific people (Jaune and- well, you'll see) before now. Lavender Town is an entirely different can of worms, holding several thousand souls as well as functioning as a prison of sorts.**

 **All that aside, let's look at the reviews:**

 **Dethcat:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
A rather apt name for young Nihilus I'd say. And yes; Nihilus, or Noir as you call him, studied aura quite extensively during his life. To the point where he was able to create the 'books' shown in chapter 11, though even at the time of their creation Nihilus (Noir) absolutely hated them - seeing them as a sign of his own failure and weakness. It wouldn't be inaccurate to say that he put life into them, but it would be wrong to say that he created life for them - he took it from somewhere else.**

 **Soul sight vs Aura sight is rather muddled really, but it is pretty much as you described it. Aura sight gives a more general impression of a** person, **like if I were trying to describe what my brother looks like to someone has never seen either him or myself - whereas Soul sight would be like showing a photograph of my brother. It doesn't give any funky mind reading powers or anything, but it makes clear the details that define the person in question.**

 **Lavender Town is actually something of a contradiction for Nihilus - and even characters like the alternate team RWBY wouldn't be able to make sense of the town. Nihilus certainly 'killed' everyone there, but he killed their bodies - ripping their souls out then basically just dumping the spirits in the town because he didn't want to eat them (for reasons he mentioned somewhat vaguely). And while it's true that the souls still hover about the town, Nihilus has an exceptionally poor understanding of what other people (or spirits in this case) can do - he assumes that they are all at least competent in soul manipulation, something he is literally the only man alive who can do.**

 **The kid shown is the former daughter of Nihilus; and (obviously) the red hair is a trait picked up from Pyrrha, the purple eyes are from his side of the family - though this won't be expanded upon until other members of his family start becoming more prominent characters in the plot a little later on.**

 **I love the long review, it really made my day!**

 **killerbeats359:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Cheers! I like to think I've made a pretty intricate plot, the more complicated the better I say.**

 **Tabris the 17th angle:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
This chapter gave a lot of context for why Nihilus is the way he is, with the loss of both his daughter and Pyrrha Nihilus' violent streak is suddenly much more understandable. A sad truth of it is that his daughter will always be with him in her ghostly form, though he will only be able to see her under very specific circumstances. One could even go so far as to say that he has blinded himself to her; because while he is 'aware' that she is present, he knows that there is nothing he could ever do to help her - despite that she only wants to help him.**

 **Thanks for the compliments, I try my hardest.**

 **Toddem Mach:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
I wouldn't say I hate Pokemon, just a dislike. Intellectually there's all the common reasons; animal cruelty and so on so on. But the main reason for my dislike is because I grew up playing (and watching) Digimon - which was the original and (in my opinion) better version of Pokemon drawing a lot of inspiration from Digimon, but lacking originality when it was first created. It's almost funny now though, as I have watched or played any Digimon related games or anime for at least 12 or 13 years - but my admittedly irrational dislike for Pokemon is still as strong as ever.**

 **The main reason I am able to create such elaborate reference is because Lavender town is a rather well known Creepypasta - and I do love a good Creepypasta.**

* * *

 **So I haven't been getting many reviews, which is frankly a little disheartening. If you take the time to read this then please take the time to review! Particularly if you have a question to ask or even if you have a complaint, I tend to be much more spoiler-y when talking to readers. So please leave a review!**


	14. In Envy's Shadow

Wraith

Chapter Fourteen

Beta: Smithrooks

In Envy's Shadow

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

"Relax, Pyrrha."

"I am relaxing!" the champion grit out, the utter lie painfully obvious.

Jaune could only sigh. He was _trying_ to teach Pyrrha aura sight - _trying_ being the operative word there. But after about 3 hours of him trying to teach her the same way Ozpin had taught him, the girl still couldn't get it.

They were on the roof above his dorm and Jaune himself was laying flat on his back in a fairly relaxed position, but Pyrrha had her legs crossed and her arms folded in agitation as she tried to puzzle out the way to see aura. It was partially his fault as a shitty teacher of course, but… well, Jaune had sort of expected Pyrrha to be _talented_ or something.

"It won't work if you're tense, you know," Jaune murmured.

She didn't answer.

Pyrrha had nailed the first step pretty quickly, of course; not that it was much of an accomplishment to feel your own aura, mind you. The second step… well, she was trying.

Aura sight basically just amounted to a heightened awareness of the world in general; the name was actually something of a lie since the skill didn't 'see' things, it just made you _aware_ of things. It was omni-directional, and the concept of walls was actually fairly laughable for Jaune at this point because he 'saw' a wall and everything on the other side of the wall at the same time. Although it was pretty awkward at first, as the ability to see through walls had practically forced Jaune to… bear witness to some… ah, private moments.

But Pyrrha just couldn't seem to grasp that particular concept. Using the wall analogy again, Pyrrha was hung up on trying to see the wall first, and _then_ whatever was behind it. Jaune had no idea how to put it into words, but Pyrrha had to accept that aura was a constant. Even things that aren't alive are stained by the aura from other things, like a tree breathing just the faintest wisps of aura into the surrounding soil so that its roots would grow stronger.

It also didn't help that she was tense enough to have an aneurysm.

Maybe it was because she was super-talented at pretty much everything else? Pyrrha was humble for someone of her skill level, but she also had absolute confidence in her abilities.

"Pyrrha," Jaune intoned gently, "perhaps it's time we gave it a rest for tonight." It wouldn't look good for him if her brain started leaking out her nose.

"No!" the black and gold light he knew to be Pyrrha grit out, "I nearly have it! I know I do!"

Well that was a lie if he ever heard one; her aura was practically shaking in agitation at this point. But hey, he was just happy to have an excuse to be out of his dorm. Cardin, Sky and Dove were great and all, but after growing up with seven sisters Jaune found his ability to socialise with other males to be rather… stunted.

That, and sharing a room with three sweaty guys was irritating. The smell in their bathroom… urk.

But this could also be a pretty good chance for Jaune to practice his new soul sight skill on Pyrrha. It was probably rather unethical, since it basically gave him the ability to see everything that made her _Pyrrha Nikos_ , but… it was a skill that he felt he had to practice, and it would give him invaluable insight into making her happy. And if it made Pyrrha happy in the long run, then it had to be good, right?

And besides, it was like his father always said; sometimes it's easier to ask for forgiveness rather than permission.

With that in mind, Jaune stopped using his aura sight and activated his soul sight instead.

The transition was always a rather jarring one; as Jaune's skill with aura sight was deep enough that he could 'see' in every direction for about 200 metres when he wasn't focussing, and about 2 kilometres when he put all his concentration in it. But his skill with soul sight wasn't nearly as advanced, nor was it quite as omnipresent.

One of the major differences between the two skills laid in the fact that aura sight allowed him to see everything, bar the Grimm; even things like a stone had trace amounts of aura from the bleeding effect all living things had. But soul sight wasn't like that. A stone was never, and could never be alive and therefore has no soul for Jaune to look at - so there was only inky blackness in its place. But people… looking at a person was like staring into the heart of a sun. There were basic colours on the surface, but beneath that there were always things the Jaune could never describe. Colours that he had no names for, shapes that he knew were impossible, truths that made Jaune realise who exactly a person was.

The world of bright and impossible colours died around him until only one thing remained, all the light in the world fading as Jaune focussed on his friend.

She was… different.

Where Cardin had been a majestic eagle that seemed to soar with power and pride despite hardships unknown to Jaune, Pyrrha was totally different. She looked like a lion clinging to the ground, staring up at the sky while absolutely shining with power, but at the same time she was so cold… just looking at her, Jaune felt the painful stabs of loneliness and sadness that she had held so close for most of her life.

She had been… isolated? So alone, yet so full of kindness. Her life was defined by the adoration that others gave her, and yet at the same time she hated it - hated the love, hated the unreachable pillar that she had been placed upon, hated that people saw her for her skills and not for who she was.

But at the same time there was happiness, joy and love within her. Deep, unrelenting love for her family, love for the thrill of competition and winning despite the sorrow it brought. Happiness that she had found people that she could call friends, joy in knowing that while life may separate them, the bonds forged here in Beacon would never truly fade from her life.

Jaune felt like he understood Pyrrha now, who she was and what drove her to do the things she did. It wasn't like the soul sight had given him the ability to read her mind or anything; no, the skill was far more limited than that. When he peered at the soul of another person, he saw everything that made them, well… _them._ Everything that made a person who they were, the _defining_ aspects of their personalities were laid bare for Jaune to stare at and puzzle over. Pyrrha was _defined_ by her loneliness, by her hate and love for competition. That's who _Pyrrha Nikos_ was, that's _everything_ she was.

"Pyrrha?" Jaune murmured as he switched back to aura sight, the world exploding into colour once again as the true form of her soul faded from his vision. "What made you want to be partners with me?"

He had avoided the question before, especially given that she had literally pinned him to a tree in her efforts to avoid anyone else - and failed quite spectacularly in doing so. But even now the grief she held over that was practically palpable, despite the fact that Jaune had forgiven her ages ago. But now… knowing what he knew, Jaune had to wonder, why him? Why pick _him_ of all people? Back during initiation he had been _worthless_ as a fighter, even now he was the weakest student at the school since all of his big attacks required a few seconds for him to muster the aura required to do them. Plus they tended to maul his hands. Even now, his hands were bandaged from the burns he had given himself through practicing his skills with fire Dust.

For practically the first time since Jaune had started trying to teach her, Pyrrha relaxed and stopped trying too hard. "I…" she hesitated, black and gold aura shifting about with mild agitation. "Promise you won't laugh at me?"

Laugh at her? Why would he do that? Sure, Jaune knew that he could be an arse at times, but when it came to things like this he didn't muck around. "I promise," he said firmly, "I won't laugh at you no matter what you say."

"It was because…" her aura finally settled down, "you didn't know me."

Because he didn't know her…? What on Remnant does that mea-

Oh…

That put things into context. All the anger and loneliness she held in her soul was because everyone thought she was above them, and therefore they wouldn't bother trying to become friends with her…

"When I first met you," she continued, "you just thought I was another student. You didn't hold me above anyone, you didn't see me as unapproachable… I was just another stranger to you."

Jaune hummed, "So you… wanted me as your partner so because you wanted someone to form their own opinion on you, without prior knowledge on your achievements?"

It was fair enough really, preconceptions could get rather irritating at times. The other students whispered things about Jaune when they thought he couldn't hear them, things like 'oh, I feel so sorry for him!' or 'that poor guy, I wonder why Ozpin let him stay in the school?'. He didn't want their pity; he didn't want their sadness. He wanted people to see him for what he was now, a strong young man that would one day become the best hunter alive.

Heh, maybe he and Pyrrha were similar in that regard.

"Yes!" Pyrrha exclaimed, excited that Jaune was following her thought process. "That's exactly it, I wanted someone to see me for _me_ , not for the invincible girl."

But her excitement died quickly however, "But… I hurt you, I screwed up so badly…"

"Nope."

"What? I hurt you, I'm the reason you're blind…"

Jaune watched with mild amusement as her aura shifted around in surprise. "Nope." A thin grin stretched across his ugly face. "I was an idiot, and truthfully I probably got off pretty lucky in initiation."

Jaune was pretty pleased just to be alive actually; being impaled, mauled and then blinded sucked beyond belief yeah, but it was also better than dying. Death was final; it happened once and then that was it, no second chances and no take-backs. But life? That was just full of possibilities. Sure, he fucked up pretty epically, but he got to _try again_ \- something not afforded to the dead.

"No, Jaune," Pyrrha murmured, "I've seen you fight, if not for me hurting you then you would have gotten through initiation without a problem."

Yeah, if he could see Grimm he could do that _now._ But then? Not a bloody chance. Though Pyrrha didn't know that particular gem of information, and if Jaune had his way then she never would. In this case, the lie that Cardin had prepared for Jaune would be best. "Actually, I accidentally left all my Dust behind. So I was practically defenceless."

The purpose of the lie was basically to feed Cardin's vanity. Jaune's _fearless leader_ always wanted team WASB to appear strong and unshakable on the outside, showing no signs of weakness to the other teams. Obviously the events of initiation had rather dented their reputation thanks to Jaune's ineptitude, but Cardin was adamant that Jaune use that particular lie to help defend their image.

He still had Crocea Mors of course, hidden under his bed and gathering dust. He intended to return the stolen family sword to his father in person after he'd become a full-fledged huntsman, bringing pride to the Arc family by showing them how powerful he had become.

"Actually…" Pyrrha paused, obviously wondering how to say something. "I seem to remember you having a sword, but I haven't really seen you with it since then. Did you lose it in the forest?"

"Nah," Jaune hummed, "That is the Arc family blade and I still have it, but I'm totally useless with it. I prefer using Dust."

"I could… teach you how to use it, if you want?"

Teach Jaune how to use Crocea Mors? That was certainly a kind offer, but a rather pointless one nonetheless. Jaune was, and would forever be a ranged fighter now. The finer details of any weapon were lost in his blind eyes; aura sight could only give him so much detail after all. But if she was offering training… well, between Cardin who just kept attacking until Jaune started dodging, and the chance to train with a world-class fighter? Yeah, Pyrrha it was.

"That's nice of you to offer, but I'll never be able to use a sword properly." Pyrrha's aura seemed to deflate a little at that, "But… I certainly wouldn't say no to training with you using my Dust."

Heh, just one more step on the path to power.

* * *

 **High above Vale, present day…**

Jaune was really starting to hate Nihilus.

It was late evening when the false lord had decided that he was done with Lavender Town, the pale man telling the two young hunters that they must head to Beacon post-haste. Jaune and Pyrrha were understandably rather cautious of Nihilus after his freak out earlier today, though Pyrrha was still more trusting than Jaune was.

That had been… what? An hour or two ago? Jaune could hardly tell anymore. Nihilus apparently now had the strength to fly once again, though where he got the power from was a mystery to Jaune. And with all this, Nihilus had held Jaune by the scruff of his hoodie while the younger Arc was forced to awkwardly carry Pyrrha in his arms as tightly as he could so she didn't fall to her death hundreds of metres below.

Nihilus slowed down considerably as they drew closer to Vale, the fluttering of his light-absorbing black robes weakening as they approached walking pace instead of the rocketing speed Jaune had grown used to.

"Why are we slowing down?" Jaune demanded, not bothering to pay any particular attention to the city below.

Nihilus kept his yellow-eyed gaze locked onto something unseen in the distance. "Airspace control over the city became extremely tight after the destruction of Amity Colosseum my shell, do you not see it?"

Jaune and Pyrrha could only gape, what the hell was Nihilus talking about? Amity Colosseum, _destroyed_?! That… that just wasn't possible, nothing could bring down that floating monstrosity. Amity Colosseum was easily the most advanced piece of technology on the planet, and it was constantly under heavy guard from whichever kingdom it was stationed at.

But to Jaune and Pyrrha's collective horror, just at the edge of the city they were beginning to see that Nihilus was right. Where they knew to be a sea of red trees that they _thought_ was Forever Fall, there was nothing but a deep smoky crater that went on as far as they could see. A few burnt-out husks of trees remained, but they were little more than charcoal sticking out of the ashes. And in the centre of it all… were the remains of Amity Colosseum. Neither Jaune nor Pyrrha could tell whether it was half-buried or half-disintegrated; the half that remained jutted out of the ground like a terrible scar on the land. Shattered stone and pulverised machinery decorated what was left, the visible decay almost sickening to the two young hunters.

Amity Colosseum was meant to be a symbol of peace, of friendship and cooperation… but now it was little more than a wreck.

"What… what happened?" Pyrrha whispered as they flew onwards, the shattered sign of peace becoming steadily clearer.

Nihilus cackled, the slight wind pushing his long, tangled hair out of his face. "We destroyed it, the empty ones were there. Always there, the empty ones burnt through the city with the tormented."

Jaune could only sigh. As always, Nihilus' skill at answering questions was so bad that he just raised more questions. But as much as Jaune hated to admit it even to himself, he was getting better at picking through what the crazy lord said. "What do you mean 'we destroyed it'?" he asked. "Why did you do it? And who helped you?" All three were relevant questions; if Nihilus told them, then Jaune could pass along the information to the right people to help stop it from happening in their world.

Nihilus cackled again, his sickly yellow eyes wide with delight as he increased his pace slightly. "We? Three of us were there, one in the stadium, another at Beacon and the last in the city. I stopped myself, she was very angry and the other rested in her coffin of glass and steel."

...What?

Neither of the two young hunters bothered responding to that. What was the point? They knew well enough that Nihilus wouldn't give a proper answer to any of their questions; the false lord was either crafty enough to answer without actually referring to the question, or he was crazy enough that he just perpetually spoke in riddles.

Instead they focussed their attention on the city below, so vibrant and filled with life that even the Vale they had come to know in their own world paled in comparison. Buildings were taller than they remembered, things looked cleaner and generally more efficient. It was actually quite the shock; from what they had seen in the decimated ruins of both Dorme and Lavender Town, both Jaune and Pyrrha had half expected and feared that Vale would be in a similar state.

But looking at it now… it actually looked better than the Vale they knew.

Though the illusion of a peaceful city was shattered somewhat by the broken remains of Amity Colosseum just outside the main walls. Just what had happened in the years between the two worlds? Jaune could hardly fathom what could cause such a change in what, 5, 10 years? That itself brought up another question: how old was Nihilus?

If the 'memory' that Jaune and Pyrrha saw had been telling the truth about the alternate world stuff, then obviously Nihilus was a good deal ahead of where Jaune was. Picking the age of a hunter was actually pretty difficult; this was mostly because if a hunter survived into their old age, they would still have a youthful appearance, bar perhaps grey hair.

Although that didn't exactly apply to Nihilus, as his hair and skin were _unnaturally_ white. Just looking at Nihilus was something of a chore at times; the black robes that he constantly wore seemed to wreath around his body in an inhuman way while absorbing all light. In steep contrast, his shockingly white skin and hair seemed to scream out brightness.

But Jaune couldn't help but wonder how many years would have to have passed for Nihilus to look the way he did now. Nihilus looked more like a Grimm than he did a human. What could do _that_ to a person? Not spending time in the sun could make someone pale for sure, but Nihilus' skin and hair were _literally_ white.

Add to that the dream Jaune had back in Lavender Town… the little girl had called him 'daddy'. Jaune couldn't help but shudder at the implications of that; that meant that Nihilus, that _he_ , had children, or child as the case may be. The girl looked about 4 or 5 years old, and that alone would make Nihilus 21 _minimum_. But that only worked if the kid was conceived when Nihilus was 17 - Jaune's age now.

"My shell," Nihilus purred as his grip on Jaune's armpits tightened slightly, "look at it… look at my work, do you think she would be pleased?"

Jaune snapped out of his thoughts as the false lord spoke, what was he saying now? Look at what? He had already seen the wreckage of Amity, as much as it disturbed him. What could he be talking… about…. now…

Oh god.

Beacon was…

Even before Beacon was a school for hunters, it had existed as something else. An indomitable fortress that had remained utterly untouched by anyone outside of Vale for nearly a thousand years, but during the Faunus War the fortress had finally been laid low.

Most of it, that was.

The central tower had survived however, the brilliant 'beacon' of emerald light that shone across all of Vale survived all the destructive power that mankind could throw at it.

But looking at Beacon now… it was like a god had ripped the ancient tower from the ground and utterly, _utterly_ , destroyed it.

The surrounding buildings looked perfectly intact, but the tower was absolutely _gone_.

"What… how could this have happened?" Jaune heard Pyrrha whisper, utter shock and horror in her voice.

It was unthinkable, and Jaune hardly realised something like this was possible. How could Beacon tower just be _gone_? It should not be possible; who would do something like… this….

"Nihilus…" Jaune breathed, "why… why did you do this?"

Nihilus grinned a wide, toothy smile as his sickly yellow eyes greedily gulped in the sight of the school below, "Why, my dear shell?" They began to descend, slowly lowering towards the gaping hole where the majestic Beacon Tower had once stood. "I did this… because I _wanted to_."

* * *

 **Beacon, present day...**

Ozpin was a fool.

Ruby had tried for nearly two days now to convince the man that both the Jaune Arcs needed to die, but the elderly headmaster had been adamant in his refusal of the execution of the younger Arc.

It was obvious to Ruby now that Ozpin would not relent in his choice; the headmaster would not allow the younger Arc to be killed. But that was okay; Ruby had never been asking permission, she was only informing the headmaster of her decision.

Jaune Arc would die.

Currently, Ruby was in the room that Ozpin had provided for her stay within the school; it was blank and empty of any kind of human touch. But that didn't matter to her in the slightest. They had come here to eliminate Jaune - their Jaune - not to get comfortable and stick around longer than necessary.

Her Scroll tablet was held firmly in her hands as Ruby awaited her remaining teammates to report in from their missions. As long as she kept her mind away from the painful truth of Yang…

The tablet buzzed lightly in her unarmoured hands, and within a second Ruby accepted the call; Weiss' face appeared on the screen, her features as sharp and unrelenting as ever.

"Ruby," the elder girl greeted, "has Blake not joined us yet?"

Ruby shook her head, "No, sh-"

The Scroll buzzed again as another call came in, this time the face of Blake appearing on the left half of the screen while Weiss still dominated the right half.

"Sorry for the delay," The Faunus girl intoned, "I needed to find a secluded place."

Ruby nodded, that was understandable given where exactly Blake was.

"Both of you," Ruby ordered, "report."

It was Weiss that answered first, her cultured voice coming across clear and sharp. "I spoke with the Jacques Schnee of this world; he seemed… hesitant at first."

Ruby knew she had asked a lot of Weiss when she ordered the elder girl to speak to the alternate version of her father, especially given the rather… rough history to two of them shared. But Weiss was nothing if not reliable, and true to form the pale girl had toughed out the unpleasantness of her given task. "Understandable," Ruby conceded, "but did you manage to convince him?"

"Yes, although it was quite difficult to convince him that it was in his best interests."

"But you did manage to convince him, right?" Blake interjected, "Without the resources of the SDC, we won't get very far against Jaune."

Weiss scoffed, her rightfully deserved pride showing through for just a moment. "Of course I did, have some faith in me Blake." The pale girl smirked, "As of today, construction of the first legion of Schnee Aura Knights has begun, and with them we will be one step closer to finally being able to beat that dunce."

Aura Knights. They were actually a relatively recent invention back in their world, but utterly invaluable in their ability to combat Nihilus - despite the fact that they were something of a moral grey area. The first machine to ever have an aura of its own was the P.E.N.N.Y unit that Atlas constructed years ago in their world, and that feat of technology had taken over a decade to be replicated.

The end result? An Aura Knight.

Perfect machines to use against both the Grimm and Jaune, they were practically the end of hunters everywhere for two simple reasons; they had aura, and they could be _mass-produced_.

And better yet, Nihilus couldn't absorb them.

They weren't as good as a hunter in terms of fighting ability, but they were far more practical to have on their side when fighting Jaune - having a legion of hunters would actually be rather detrimental, as they basically amounted to a group of walking happy meals for the Lord of Hunger.

The reason Ruby had ordered Weiss to try and get her father to create them and not, say, General Ironwood, was because the Schnee patriarch was the lesser of two evils. Ruby would never, _never_ forgive Ironwood for what he had tricked her into doing. And while the design for the Aura Knights would no doubt eventually make their way into Ironwood's mismatched hands, Ruby refused to vindicate the man by agreeing to work with him - even if it was an alternate version who hadn't actually done anything yet.

"Good," Ruby finally said, her mind snapping back into the conversation. "Is there anything else?"

Weiss harrumphed, "Aside from my younger brother still being an arse, no, there is nothing else of any particular note."

Well, good to know Weiss was in her usual good mood today.

"Your turn, Blake," Ruby intoned to the Faunus girl. "How are things in Menagerie?"

Blake sighed, her uncovered cat ears drooping a little. "About as expected, the White Fang has already entered into their partnership with Torchwick and the unknown woman."

Ruby rubbed her forehead in frustration; of course they were too late to stop that. That would have meant that something would have gone their way for once, and obviously the universe couldn't allow that. "So I take it you were also unable to convince the leadership to ditch them and join us?"

"Yeah," Blake muttered, "I didn't get a chance to speak to Adam, but the other members of the leadership were quite clear that as the Lord of Hunger was human, he is also a human problem."

Ruby closed her deep silver eyes and breathed deeply, she knew that Blake knew what she was going to ask next. "Blake…" god, how to say this and not sound like a complete and utter bitch? "Speak to Adam; see if you can get him on our side. But if he doesn't join us… put an end to hostilities. Permanently."

Blake's yellow eyes stared into Ruby's own silver gaze, both girls silent for just a few moments as they pondered the ramifications of what exactly Ruby was asking.

"You know I can't beat him in a fair fight Ruby," Blake murmured with a defeated look in her amber eyes, "I don't have enough aura left, none of us do."

"Then…" Ruby breathed quietly, "then make sure it's not a fair fight."

Blake actually looked like she might cry for a moment, but the tears never fell. "I… understand."

"Is there anything else, Ruby?" Weiss asked, only the slightest frown on her face to show her empathy to Blake for the position she was in.

"Yes," Ruby whispered as she held her head in her hands. She knew this would condemn an innocent man to death… but it was necessary. "Should either of you encounter the Jaune Arc from this world… kill him."

Both Weiss and Blake nodded silently, fully aware of the implications of the order they were just given.

It was dark, it was evil, but it was the right thing to do. And besides, he would only be the second Arc that Ruby had put to death.

 **A/N**

 **A lot of shit went down this chapter, many things were - subtly - revealed. Like that last sentence with Ruby, whatever could** _ **that**_ **mean?**

 **God I'm getting much less sneaky about these things…**

 **Crushing realisation of my own personal failures aside, let's look at the reviews:**

 **warylocust99:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Why thank you, I'll be sure to.**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Noir is an okay name, but it doesn't lend itself well to the concept of no good or evil.**

 **thelastcenturion2015:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Thanks, I try.**

 **Jaune Black Smudge:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **There isn't much I can say here that hasn't been said in our (frankly) awesome PM conversation so far, but for anyone else who reads this - that wasn't Ren and Nora, they are long dead.**

* * *

 **I got four reviews last time (and I love them for it), so come on guys! More reviews!**


	15. Birth of Hatred

Wraith

Chapter Fifteen

Beta: Smithrooks

Birth of Hatred

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

So… Pyrrha was scary as hell.

That particular gem of information was, of course, something Jaune already knew. It was something he had been acutely aware of since she had speared him to a tree back during initiation, but looking at her now…

Currently, he and Pyrrha were in one of Beacon's many training rooms, the small arena large enough for two people to fight but too cramped to allow for any spectators. Jaune was admittedly nervous when he first asked Pyrrha to train with him on the roof the other night, what with her being a world-famous champion fighter and all.

But looking at her now… her aura was tight, almost coiled as her energy pumped through every part of her body. Was this a higher skill level in aura use? When Cardin, Sky and Dove fought, their aura looked about the same as it did normally. Maybe Pyrrha was consciously prepping her aura for defence rather than letting the energy do it passively?

It was all very flattering actually, to have the famous Pyrrha Nikos on guard and cautious at the prospect of fighting little old Jaune Arc.

Jaune himself was fully kitted out, all his armour firmly attached and all the relevant Dust literally hidden up his sleeves. The only thing he was missing was Crocea Mors, the old family sword still tucked under his bed gathering dust - and not the useful kind.

"Are you ready, Jaune?" Pyrrha asked, her sword Milo held ready in her right hand and her shield Akouo in her left.

The skin under the bandages on Jaune's hands throbbed painfully from long nights of practicing with fire Dust, but he would not be dissuaded. Jaune would give it his all; he would try his hardest to win.

Slipping a crystal that even to Jaune's blind eyes glowed a dangerous red into his right hand, Jaune rubbed his thumb over the fire Dust. He had a plan to win, not a very good one perhaps, but a plan nonetheless. In his left hand, Jaune clutched one of the more expensive crystals that he owned, the gravity Dust thrumming lightly with potential energy. A small grin crossed the Arc's maimed face as he nodded slightly. "I'm ready, don't hold back!"

"Very well," Pyrrha breathed, her black and gold aura tingling with both agitation and excitement. "Begin!"

Pyrrha launched towards Jaune like a rocket, her speed horrifically beyond anything Jaune could hope to match himself. But in the single moment of time Jaune had, he jerked his right fist outwards in a punching motion and a small fireball exploded towards his enemy.

It was the best he could do with such little time to react; the small fireball exploded harmlessly over Pyrrha's trusty shield, the flames washing past the Spartan girl without doing any damage.

Jaune felt his blind eyes widen slightly at the uselessness of his initial attack, but he wasn't out of tricks yet, he could still win this!

A mere fraction of a second before Pyrrha's sword slashed at his face, Jaune jerked his aura into the gravity Dust in his left hand - this time his aim wasn't to increase the weight of something like he had back in Forever Fall, but instead to lighten something. More specifically, lighten himself.

In that single instant, Jaune went from being an 80-kilo man to a 40-kilo man as he halved his weight, and with speed previously impossible for him he jerked his head backwards out of Pyrrha's range as she attempted to slash at his face.

The champion was undeterred however, and in one fluid motion she swung her shield through where Jaune's torso _should_ have been.

But unfortunately for her, Jaune was still moving at double his normal speed and managed to flip backwards out of the way of her attack. The effect of the gravity Dust faded however, and Jaune suddenly found himself his normal weight once again. But that was okay; he had bought himself enough distance and time to mount a proper counterattack.

Putting more force into it this time, Jaune jerked his right hand towards his enemy once again, a much larger ball of fire searing and melting his flesh before shooting outwards and slamming into Pyrrha.

But the effect was minimal; while Jaune was stuck panting for air to satisfy his oxygen-starved lungs Pyrrha was blasted back about a metre, her armoured heels digging into the ground as she covered herself with her shield. Worse still was the fact that it had exhausted the power of the crystal, leaving it an empty shell - worthless unless he tried to stab her with it.

"Don't think you'll escape next time," her black and gold aura flickered, excitement? Or maybe it was arrogance? "Now that I know you are moving at double speed, I need simply adjust my distance to compensate for it."

Jaune didn't answer her; he was too stunned that she had picked out his strategy so quickly. Just how the hell did she do it?

But Jaune didn't have time to ponder it. In a flash, Pyrrha was on the move again. Her speed just as ridiculous as the last charge, Pyrrha shifted her sword into its spear form and launched herself at him - the tip of her spear poised to stab into Jaune's ribcage.

She was fast, far faster than Cardin and the others had been when training him. But he could still do this, he could still-

Jaune jerked backwards, but to his horror he didn't move.

In the fraction of a second Jaune had to comprehend what was happening, he could have sworn he saw the black outline of Pyrrha's aura settle over his armour and lock him in place.

But the moment passed, and Pyrrha slammed her spear into Jaune's chest.

Were it not for his aura Jaune would have died quickly, but as it was he felt his breath explode out of his lungs as he was rocketed backwards from the force of the strike. With a great whoosh of air he slammed into the wall behind him, his aura thankfully shielding him from any mortal injury.

Pyrrha hesitated for a moment when Jaune slumped to the ground. The pulse of her aura slowed down slightly as she stayed where she was, her concern slightly outweighing her desire to win.

Which was of course, a mistake on her part. Did she really think that a single blow would be enough to take him out of the fight? Jaune was almost offended, almost.

Using her single moment of weakness, Jaune switched out the empty and lifeless fire Dust crystal in his hand and replaced it with another favourite of his - lightning Dust. Pyrrha had made the mistake of underestimating him, and for that Jaune landed his first successful attack.

Brilliantly shining arcs of energy spewed out of Jaune's right hand towards Pyrrha, and to Jaune's utter delight it worked exactly as planned. Even with her shield in place to protect her, the energy washed over the champion with brutal effectiveness. Wearing metal armour was always a rather risky idea when fighting someone who could literally shoot lightning from their fingertips.

But just like with fire Dust burning his hands, lightning Dust had its drawbacks too. The energy seared through Jaune's hands painfully and made the small muscles in his palm twitch and contract.

At the worst possible moment Jaune felt his fingers twitch involuntarily from the lightning Dust, forcing him to drop the blindingly yellow crystal to the ground.

The lightning that had been assaulting Pyrrha stopped as soon as it was cut off from Jaune; even to Jaune's blind eyes she twitched slightly, had the lightning Dust really been that effective? Maybe he should invest in it more if it was so useful…

The black and gold aura of his enemy was ever so slightly duller than normal, showing the damage he had done with his single attack. But he had no more lightning Dust, and if he tried to retrieve the crystal he had dropped then he would be opening himself up for attack…

He had to think! What could he do here? He had one more fire Dust Crystal, his gravity Dust had about two thirds left of its power… he had to do the unexpected, that was the only chance he had of even coming close to a victory. He was at a massive disadvantage at close range, and she had far more aura remaining than he did; the black and golden light had maybe 90% or 85% left by his reckoning, while Jaune himself was easily down to about 35% from her attack as well as the damage he was inflicting on himself by using such volatile Dust.

Well, this just meant that he had to change things up a little.

Jaune jerked his aura in his left hand, his soul energy feeding into the gravity Dust with even more ferocity than last time. In that single moment Jaune went from being 80 kilos, to a paltry 20 - and with it his speed tripled as well.

With speed that Jaune could only dream of normally he leapt at his opponent, his right hand devoid of any Dust and raised in a striking position above his head.

This is where the hard part of Jaune's plan came in. He knew that if he struck Pyrrha with all his might now then it would still be far weaker than was required to actually do any damage, as any weight he put behind the attack was practically nil compared to what he was usually able to do. But that's where the last dregs of power in the gravity Dust came into play. Currently he had lightened himself 3x, but what if he did the opposite?

In that single fraction of a second before his hammer-blow made contact Jaune forced his aura to reverse the effect of the gravity Dust, his normal 80 kilos suddenly doubling to 160, then doubling again to 320 kilos.

Jaune's attack dropped on Pyrrha like a meteor, her normally indomitable defence utterly unable to deal with the sudden pressure of Jaune's impossible weight. The stone tiles beneath their feet cracked and split as Jaune's downwards blow hurtled Pyrrha to the ground.

But the effect wasn't wholly positive for Jaune either; in the few short moments he had before the crystal ran out of energy, every bone in Jaune's body felt like it was going to snap and shatter into a million pieces from all the weight, his muscles straining and tearing under the immense pressure. The attack had done a number on Pyrrha for sure, her aura dimming until she had only about 60 or 70% left. But Jaune was in a far worse state; he felt himself just barely hovering within acceptable levels to continue the fight, he was at maybe 16 or 17%? Even a single blow from Pyrrha would end this fight.

He couldn't use any more Dust, the energy required to activate any crystals would push him into the red and if he used the last of his fire Dust then he would probably sear his hands right off this time.

So with that in mind, Jaune did the only thing he could do; he used the gravity Dust, or more specifically he used the _crystal_.

As quickly as his torn and battered body would allow, Jaune charged at Pyrrha who was just now picking herself up, the jagged edge of the powerless gravity Dust crystal swinging horizontally like a knife to slash at Pyrrha's unarmoured face.

But then it happened again, and this time Jaune was certain that he wasn't seeing things. The black of Pyrrha's aura settled over his armoured wrist plate, and Jaune felt his slash swing past Pyrrha uselessly, almost as if it had been guided away by an outside force.

There was nothing Jaune could do now, his last attack had failed and now Pyrrha was going to end the match.

As expected, less than a second later Jaune felt the razor edge of Milo slice across his exposed torso. A buzz sounded through the room and the match was over, Pyrrha had won.

Jaune slumped to the ground gasping for air; by god that had been intense, easily the most hardcore fight he had ever been in.

"That was great Jaune!" Pyrrha exclaimed as she herself plopped to the ground, her voice holding nothing but praise. "I've never actually fought a pure Dust-Mage like yourself, and it was quite the challenge!"

Challenge? Yeah right, she wiped the floor with him! "Come on Pyrrha," Jaune wheezed as he tried in vain to get his breath back, "you destroyed me."

The black and gold of Pyrrha shook her head, "No, actually, I was at a disadvantage for most of the fight. Your use of fire Dust was excellent at keeping me at range, and your use of gravity Dust was… unorthodox, but highly effective."

Sure, and he was a flying purple elephant with green spots. "Nah, I did more damage to myself than I did to you." He waved his burnt right hand in the air, the bandages he usually wore long since turned to ash.

"Oh my god!" Pyrrha exclaimed in shocked horror at his roasted hand, "Jaune! How… why weren't you using a focus of some kind?"

...What?

She must have seen the blank expression on his face, "By the Grimm… you don't have a Dust focus, do you?"

Jaune shook his head, what was she talking about? What was a Dust focus? "What do you mean, Pyrrha?"

Pyrrha gently took hold of Jaune's hurt hand and within moments Jaune felt the pain of the burns and electrical damage lessen, her own aura soothing the damage. "Think about it Jaune; it's the reason that pure Dust-Mages like yourself are so rare. Most people use a sword or something similar to channel the power of Dust so they don't have to feel all the raw energy in their hands. Like Weiss using her rapier, or Russel using his daggers."

Well fuck, all this time Jaune was searing his hands by practicing without a focus of some kind when he didn't have to. But what did this mean? He couldn't switch back to using a sword, that would mean that months of practice using his hands as weapons would be for nothing. "Can… can a focus be anything?" he eventually asked, a small idea beginning to take root in his mind.

Pyrrha's aura bobbed her head in confirmation, "Yes, though most people prefer using a bladed weapon of some kind despite the fact that they wouldn't be able to channel quite as much power. Generally speaking, the bigger the focus the weaker the Dust will be." A small, amused tone entered her voice, "I suppose that's partly why your attacks were so potent, all the raw energy was exploding outwards with nothing holding it back."

Something small? That Jaune could do. The Arc family was stupidly rich after all, and when he ran away to join Beacon he'd made quite the withdrawal. Jaune would get a perfect focus for his Dust; not a sword, but a _ring_.

Jaune couldn't help but smile, "Thanks for this Pyrrha, you've helped a bunch."

Even to his blind eyes she seemed to glow with happiness, "I - ah… you're welcome, Jaune!"

Yeah, this was perfect. Just another step towards becoming the strongest hunter in the world.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

As soon as they set down, Beacon exploded into chaos.

Sirens wailed, and machinery whirred in defiance as the trio set foot on solid ground again.

But Nihilus only smiled at the sound, "Isn't it lovely to be back?"

Jaune and Pyrrha were less than impressed. "No, it's not," the younger Arc groaned, his eyes wary for any danger. "Why are we here?"

Nihilus entered a light jog to where the majestic central tower of Beacon had once stood, the two young hunters reluctantly following him. "The world is broken, the wall between realities cracked and splintered." The dark lord laughed, "I will repair it, or all the worlds will bleed into each other."

Right… okay… _that_ made sense.

But neither of the young hunters had any time to question it; in a sudden flurry of motion, what looked to be almost an entire _legion_ of security droids appeared, their model foreign and unrecognisable to both Jaune and Pyrrha. The grey-coloured machines stormed out of nearby buildings in a rush with their rifles pointed directly at Nihilus.

Nihilus only laughed however, his sickly yellow eyes wide with delight. "Yes, I see them, the empty things made full. What do you think, hmm? I hunger…"

Two black-armoured figures stepped past the legion of death machines, their armour identical to what the huntress had worn back in Dorme before Nihilus killed her. "Jaune Arc!" one of them boomed, his armoured hands holding a blunderbuss/axe threateningly towards Nihilus. "Come back to finish the job? Well no more! This is your end!"

Jaune could only gape. This alone was proof that Nihilus was actually an older Jaune. Worse still was the fact that Jaune recognised the weapon that the first armoured man was holding; it had only been a few short days ago that he had seen it proudly displayed upon the wall as the mustached man told tales of his youth.

It was Professor Peter Port.

At a glance, Jaune didn't recognise the other hunter standing next to him, the club-wielding man silent in his black armour as he stared down Nihilus. But Jaune could guess who it was, the coffee thermos at the end of the club was a dead giveaway for what Professor - sorry, Doctor Oobleck had used in the single lesson Jaune had with the man.

Nihilus' sickly yellow eyes never stopped on the two hunters and their legion of machines, his gaze locked on something unseen behind them. "I know, I know…" he murmured to no one in particular, "They won't stop, even when I am doing them a favour."

"Nihilus!" Pyrrha whispered urgently as she drew her weapons, "What do we do?"

That was an excellent question, one Jaune would very much like to have an answer to as well. Helping the hunters, who had thus far ignored him and Pyrrha, was out of the question since Nihilus was their only chance of ever returning to their world. But two fully-trained hunters and a legion of droids versus only three people? The only one that the machines really posed a threat to was Jaune himself, as he was both untrained and without any kind of weapon since his father had reclaimed Crocea Mors back in Dorme. But Pyrrha didn't know that, she thought he was a younger version of the uber-powerful Nihilus…

Nihilus jerked his left hand downward in a horrifically fast movement; with a grin firmly locked onto his face, he let his hand hit the ground.

It was a sudden thing; one second Jaune, Pyrrha and Nihilus were facing down what practically amounted to firing squad, and the next second the ground rumbled and then there was a thick wall of stone between them and the hunters.

Jaune could only gape at the sudden appearance of the wall. What on Remnant was that! That couldn't have been… Dust, could it? Nihilus had never used Dust before this; his abilities had always seemed nigh magical since he just conjured fire and lightning out of thin air. But this? This was a sign that Nihilus wasn't all-powerful.

"Listen to me," Nihilus ordered, his deadly serious voice snapping attention away from the sudden wall. "I need to repair the world, after that I will return us to your place of origin."

Something was different. Nihilus' sickly yellow eyes were narrowed with concentration, and for the first time since Jaune had first seen him the false lord wasn't hunched over like an old man - his posture was straight and his face clear. And most startling of all were his hands; where before his long pale fingers were bare and plain, now every single finger including his thumbs had a ring of some kind adorning it.

They were strange-looking things, ranging from plain metal bands to rough and uneven things that looked like they were directly cut from stone. Each and every ring also had strange patterns decorating them, faint lines etched into the materials so deeply that they would be impossible to remove without destroying the rings entirely.

"But I cannot do this while distracted by such petty annoyances like them," Nihilus continued, vaguely gesturing to the wall that was beginning to crack and shake. "Kill them, distract them, I don't care. Keep them away from me until I finish my task."

Pyrrha's face was ashen and pale as she nodded. "We understand… we will keep them occupied for as long as possible, but please be quick!"

As much as both of the young hunters hated it, they needed to fight for Nihilus on this. If they failed and Nihilus was captured or killed, then they would be stuck in this world, permanently.

The improvised wall shuddered and cracked, only moments away from being utterly destroyed by the forces on the other side.

"We need to get to the bottom of the tower," Nihilus breathed as the two young hunters prepared themselves, "only from there can the fracture be mended."

Pyrrha nodded, her face resolute as she held her weapons.

Jaune quivered; he was in over his head. He had no training, no weapons… he was going to be a hindrance out there, nothing more than something to slow down Pyrrha and Nihilus.

The wall shattered, chunks of stone spraying outwards like shrapnel towards the three rogue hunters.

But Nihilus was already in control; with a mere wave of his hand the stone stopped dead in the air, forming an improvised shield from the hail of bullets the legion of droids were sending their way.

"Jaune!" Professor Port roared as he fired his blunderbuss at the cover, "Fight us, you coward!"

Jaune and Pyrrha could only blink in surprise as Nihilus snarled, and then with a single jerk of his hand the rocks that had been suspended in the air shot outwards towards the two hunters and their droid legion.

The rocks smashed into few of their targets, Port and Oobleck smashing the projectiles out of the air and the droids dodging with surprising dexterity.

But Nihilus wasn't done; with his face still twisted hatefully, he stretched out both his hands and… clicked his fingers?

It seemed to have the desired effect however, as the ground directly beneath Port and Oobleck's feet literally exploded into an inferno of blinding fire and heat less than a second later.

"Move!" Nihilus shouted towards the two dumbfounded hunters at his side, Jaune and Pyrrha gaping at the impossibly precise use of fire Dust. "Run!"

They didn't need to be told twice. Jaune and Pyrrha bolted like bats out of hell through the smoky haze where the now-scattered legion had been only moments before.

From behind them Nihilus clicked his fingers again, and in another almost blinding flash of light a group of about three or four of the armoured mechs combusted, the dull grey metal of their bodies burning away in a flash.

Neither Jaune nor Pyrrha dared look behind them as more explosions rattled off after Nihilus snapped his fingers; the two young hunters were locked in their dead sprint towards the hollow area where Beacon Tower had once stood. Pyrrha led the charge, her shield protecting her from the hail of bullets. But Jaune wasn't quite so lucky; with Crocea Mors gone, all he had to shield himself with was his aura and the sparse armour he wore.

Another explosion rattled out, and not a moment later Jaune and Pyrrha jumped into what they assumed was once some kind of basement for Beacon Tower, though now it was little more than a hollowed-out pit filled with rubble and scorch marks.

Nihilus jumped in a second later; the moment he landed his pale, ring-covered hands slammed into the ground, a massive slab of stone slamming into place above them with his powerful use of earth Dust. In an instant the chamber was thrown into darkness as the rock above them turned into an impromptu ceiling, the sound of gunfire and muffled shouts still leaking into the room.

"Nihilus?" Pyrrha questioned as she and Jaune groped around the darkness, utterly unable to see anything.

The immortal didn't say anything, but with one more snap of his fingers the room came into flickering clarity as a small fire burst into life.

"It won't hold for long," Nihilus muttered as he began tracing his fingers around the edge of the room, a strange purple glow seeping from his fingertips. "Even now they are moving towards the stairway on the far side of the room."

The two young hunters felt their eyes widen. Nihilus was right, the gunfire above had ceased and now the incessant sound of metal feet stomping down rough stairs could be heard.

"We…" Pyrrha murmured, her face pale as she readied her weapons, "we will hold them off. But please hurry!"

Her green eyes turned to Jaune as she urged him to follow her, but Jaune knew he couldn't.

He was weak… he had no training… he would die.

"I need to talk with Nihilus first," Jaune all but begged, "Please Pyrrha, I'll be there in a second."

Pyrrha practically winced, her expression showing that she didn't particularly agree with Jaune not going with her immediately. But she nodded anyway, aware that Jaune would have his reasons for doing this. "Hurry," she whispered, and then she bolted towards the door.

Jaune didn't have a second to waste. In a few short moments Pyrrha would be stuck fighting at the bottom of the stairs to protect them all, and what could Jaune do to help her? Absolutely nothing.

Unless Nihilus could help somehow.

Urgently, Jaune stepped next to the false lord, his ring-clad pale hands still glowing a faint purple as he traced lines over the wall. "Nihilus!" Jaune practically shouted as the horrible sound of gunfire broke out near the stairs, "If you're really me, then you know what'll happen if I go out there!"

The elder version of Jaune didn't turn to regard the younger, the ghostly white skin of his fingers bathed in purple light that seemingly had no point of origin. "And?" He demanded, utterly ignoring Jaune's stricken expression.

"And I have no training!" Jaune whispered loudly, wincing at the sound of rending machinery not far away. "I need a weapon of some kind, anything! I need to help Pyrrha!"

Nihilus stilled, his hand losing its purple glow for just a moment before he resumed tracing the purple lines on the wall. "Do you feel it?" he asked suddenly, "The ache in your chest, the want? The _desire_?"

Ache? Want? Desire? Jaune knew the words, but right now they meant nothing to him; he needed a weapon so he could help Pyrrha, even if it meant going into a fight he had no hope of surviving. "Yes!" Jaune lied, "I feel it, now give me a weapon!"

For the first time in the conversation, Nihilus turned to face Jaune, his sickly yellow eyes swimming with madness and delight as he eyed his younger counterpart like he was a piece of meat. "Once I do this, it cannot be undone, my shell," his pale hand latched onto Jaune's right wrist like a vice, utterly locking the younger male in place. "Do you accept the gift I give you?"

Nihilus had a strange, feral look in his eyes as he held Jaune still, but the younger Arc was resolute. He had to do this. "Yes," he begged, silently wishing that Nihilus could hurry up, Pyrrha needed his help now!

Nihilus grinned.

In a blinding flash of movement, Jaune felt something hot being forced over the middle finger on his right hand; his mind and eyes had hardly a second to look at the strange object. A bluish-silver ring with burning red lines sat snugly on his finger, the metal just bordering on being too hot to bear.

But in that instant, Jaune died.

The firelit room around him faded from sight as Jaune drifted in an endless sea of blackness, sound and feeling washing away under the darkness.

Except… the ring.

In a sea of nothing, he felt the _heat_ , the _burning_ of the ring on his finger. It was so impossibly _hot_ that everything else seemed incredibly dull in comparison.

The world of darkness abruptly shattered, a raging red inferno swirling around Jaune so brightly that for a moment he worried that he might go blind. But that was the least of his worries; it all _burned!_ It was so hot that Jaune felt himself roasting alive, the heat so intense that Jaune felt like he was being immolated on the spot. Jaune tried to scream out in agony, but there was no air for him to breathe in, the fire having greedily consumed it all.

But a moment later the flames parted for just a second, a pure white being stepping through the flames. The figure was human-shaped, the exact same size and shape as Jaune himself. Except he was pure white, the only vaguely human feature was the impossibly wide smile that adorned his otherwise blank face.

Jaune hardly processed this, the fire eating away at him much too intense.

"Pyrrha's out there, you know," the white being said cheerily, "wondering where you are, why you aren't helping her."

Jaune tried to scream in agony, but no sound escaped him.

"At this rate she's going to die," its expression shifted into an intense frown, "all alone and abandoned, by the man she thought was her partner."

Jaune screamed once more, but this time it was out of fury at the being that was taunting him.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" it asked, "I know it does, I felt the same heat myself once. But do you know how I survived?"

Even as his body began to crumble into ashes he reached forwards, utterly intent on throttling the monster before him.

"I survived because the fire inside me burned brighter than the fire around me."

And suddenly, Jaune understood.

The fire didn't burn, the gentle caress of its orange flames licking at his form as the blond Arc stood straight and stared at the white being. "I understand."

The smile that had adorned its face grew impossibly wide. "Yes, I think you do."

A instant later, Jaune blinked and found himself staring at Nihilus' grinning face, the pale lord holding a fistful of glowing red crystals aloft, waiting for Jaune to take them. "You know how," he murmured.

Jaune took the crystals, his mind burning hotter than any fire could ever hope to match. "I do!" he shouted triumphantly.

He couldn't explain it, hell, he hardly realised it himself. But Jaune _knew_ how to use the fire Dust Nihilus had just given him, he _knew_ how to masterfully control and direct its power with nothing more than a snap of his fingers. He felt like he had known for _years_ , that it was just another piece of who he was. The knowledge was there, all the power the crystal could give him was just waiting to be unleashed by Jaune's now masterful hands.

The ring… the ring… he knew that the ring was the catalyst, the focus that directed his new might. Maybe the knowledge was in in the ring originally, but now it was a slave to Jaune's will.

With a whoop of excitement, Jaune rushed away from Nihilus towards the stairs where Pyrrha was fighting, his whole body thrumming in elation at the sudden power he held. This was beyond his wildest dreams, skill like this? If Jaune had enough Dust, he could wipe away a city with just a literal snap of his fingers. Was this the skill Nihilus held with fire Dust?

Jaune rounded the corner to the sight of Pyrrha ducking behind a broken slab of stone, a thin cut above her right eye gushing blood onto her face.

The broken bodies of several of the machines littered the ground, but many more were flooding down the stairs, their rifles raised and bullets whittling away the eroding stone that Pyrrha hid behind.

With a Dust crystal clutched in his left hand Jaune snapped his fingers, knowledge that he hadn't earned guiding him.

The doorway combusted, several of the droids bursting into flames under Jaune's carefully directed power. Idly, Jaune noticed that Pyrrha was staring at him with surprise written all over her face, but he didn't care. He felt incredible! With another snap of his fingers, the doorway burst into a renewed patch of flame, the mechs burning even brighter than before.

The giddy rush of power Jaune felt was amazing; with this skill and knowledge that Nihilus had gifted him with, Jaune was easily stronger than any other hunter-in-training in Beacon. Hell, he was stronger than quite a few fully trained hunters too! Nothing could stop him now, with a boost like this Jaune could easily become the most powerful hunter in the world!

Jaune snapped his fingers again, the flames exploding outwards violently.

But the knowledge was incomplete! Jaune could feel it, the _absence_ where knowledge of other types of Dust should be, and the _history_ associated with the skill too. It was like he knew it, but he didn't know _how_ he knew it. The skill with the fire was just… there.

"Jaune!" Pyrrha practically screamed in his face, snapping the blonde out of his thoughts.

"What, Pyrrha?" he demanded, couldn't she see that he was busy? Jaune snapped his fingers at the now horribly charred stairs to emphasize this, a burst of flames wiping away more droids.

Pyrrha grabbed Jaune roughly by the shoulders, forcing him to tear his gaze away from the site of his devastation. "Jaune, stop!"

Finally Jaune stopped, his blue eyes narrowed on his partner. Why did she stop him? Couldn't she see that he had the situation under control? Why couldn't she just leave him alone! Why couldn't-

Whoa… where did that come from? Why was he so angry all of a sudden? This wasn't like him at all! Jaune was normally pretty calm about stuff…

"Jaune!" Pyrrha snapped, instantly grabbing his attention once more. "Listen!"

Listen? Listen to what? There wasn't… any… noise… oh shit.

The sound of metal feet stomping down the stairs had stopped entirely, leaving only an eerie silence filling the deadened space that they were in. But that couldn't be right; despite the kill count accumulated between Pyrrha and himself, they wouldn't have taken out even half of the droids, and that's not even accounting for Professor Port and Doctor Oobleck…

"Up!" Pyrrha ordered frantically as she pulled Jaune towards the charred staircase, "We need to get up there and stop them before they blow their way into the chamber!"

Jaune's eyes widened as he too started running, the previously red-hot stairs passing by his feet in a blur as he and Pyrrha dashed upwards to prevent anything from interrupting Nihilus.

Within moments they were met with open air, but as soon as their eyes settled on what awaited them they stopped moving instantly.

The numbers they had faced before were nothing compared to this…

The military of Vale had shown up, _all_ of it apparently.

Dozens of bullheads buzzed angrily through the air, hundreds of black-armoured droids marched in perfect unison, and what looked to be every hunter in the kingdom pointed their weapons at Jaune and Pyrrha.

Ever so slowly, the two young hunters raised their hands; one of them intent on surrendering, and the other burning with suppressed power.

A moment of silence passed, neither side willing to make the first move.

But finally, _finally_ , one of the hunters spoke. "Step away from the-"

He never got to finish his sentence.

Gathering all the skill and mastery over the power of fire Dust that Jaune hadn't earned, he clicked his fingers.

And the world exploded into fire.

 **A/N**

 **So please don't make the mistake and think that after just a few months of training young Nihilus can match Pyrrha (however roughly) in a fight; the way Jaune (Nihilus) fights is bullshit enough that he just tends to throw people for a loop. That said, he is certainly no pushover either. Young Nihilus is (somewhat ironically) best suited as a support fighter; let his bigger and more durable teammates take a beating while he controls the battlefield.**

 **And Jaune… oh Jaune. While there were hints of it in this chapter, things are about to get way,** _ **way**_ **worse for him thanks to him foolishly accepting the 'gift' that Nihilus offered.**

 **Vague hints for next chapter aside, let's look at the reviews!**

 **danzindogeek:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **True, but such a conclusion is much more obvious to the reader. Where you and I can go back and re-read the riddles and twisted truths that Nihilus spouts Jaune and Pyrrha can't. Funny thing is, Nihilus hasn't actually lied about anything since his arrival in chapter 1 - he just speaks in such a roundabout way that he hardly makes sense.**

 **COOLER:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I tend to try and mix things up a little. I enjoy twisting expectations and what is considered conventional in order to make something really unique. I'm pleased I was able to win you over despite your doubts.**

 **Yeah, Penny is a psycho. All those dudes on the ground? Yeah, I** _ **suppose**_ **they could have survived - aura and all that. But the guys in the bullheads? Nope. Best case scenario they weren't cut in half and died when in the crash, but even that's a sucky way to die.**

 **Future RWBY are a sad bunch for sure, and also not exactly wrong in their view point either…**

 **Nihilus is, frankly, trapped. He is constantly going through memories of not only his own life, but the lives of both Cinder and Amber - thanks to this his perception of reality is hazy. As for Pyrrha actually appearing… eh, you'll see.**

 **Ruby did what she thought she had to do.**

 **It's been so many years since I've even seen Digimon, but it still holds a place in my heart. Much better than the spew of Pokemon.**

 **thelastcenturion2015:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
The alternate Ruby is rather stunted compared to what you'd expect. Pretty much her entire adult life has been dedicated to hunting and controlling Nihilus, and because of that she tends to feel that he is her responsibility. Add to that the fact that Ruby doesn't trust any of the major players anymore (Ironwood, Ozpin, so on so on...) and you get the character that you see; a ball of hurt covered in a fine layer of anger and neuroticism.**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
I aim to please.  
Nihilus and RWBY (or Brew, which I find quite amusing) are pretty messed up as a whole, but I don't think any of them are totally lost on what they used to be. They all have their motivations and goals, all for valid reasons.**

 **Death-The-Horsemen**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
Thanks, I appreciate that everyone has their preferences and I am thankful that it hasn't stopped you from reading my work.  
The alternate RWBY, sadly, is rather blind when it comes to Jaune and Nihilus. They accepted years ago that he was a monster, and since then there has only been one case of one of their members empathising with Nihilus - which ended extremely poorly later. From their perspective they are the heroes, and Jaune (both of them) is the villain.**

 **Tabris the 17th angle:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
Don't worry about it, everyone has their own life to deal with.  
Ozpin is morally ambiguous at best, but he won't condone killing Jaune for something he hasn't done. I'd say it's pretty safe to say that the younger team RWBY wouldn't help their counterparts if they knew what exactly their plan was, but nothing is stopping them from being tricked.  
Ruby did what she thought she had to do, she just wasn't aware of all the details…**

 **priceless22:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
Nihilus has had a shit run of things, even just thinking about his life has leaves me feeling pretty crappy about creating him...  
The RWBY of Nihilus' world are pretty messed up, but neither side is guilt free - what they are attempting to do seems pretty justified from their point of view.  
And thanks, I try.**

* * *

 **To all those who reviewed, I love you for it! You're all wonderful people. To all those who didn't… well why not?! Come and feel the love!**


	16. Stolen Love

Wraith

Chapter Sixteen

Beta: Smithrooks

Stolen Love

 **Vale, many years ago…**

Jaune had never particularly been a big fan of jewellery before now; him and his father had too many harrowing memories of being dragged into stores for hours on end by the rest of the Arc family. The girls had all enjoyed the pretty baubles enough that the only two males in the family had been used as what practically amounted to slaves to carry around all their purchases.

Back then, Jaune had never really been into the idea of any jewellery for himself, not really seeing the point of having shiny bits of metal hanging on his body like a demented version of a Christmas tree. But now… well, now Jaune had stopped caring what people thought of him. That, and it was the ideal solution to getting a focus for his Dust.

The smallish jewellery store that he had found was a nice enough place, though Jaune would be the first to admit that he was probably the worst person to ask if something looked nice or not. Though as he stepped into the store and 'looked' at all the small pricks of light that he knew to be rings, a sudden and rather embarrassing thought occurred.

He couldn't read.

Of course Pyrrha had offered to come with him to get a focus for his Dust, but he had waved her off. He was a big boy; he didn't need help with every little thing after all.

But he was regretting that now; it hadn't actually occurred to Jaune until he had set foot in the store, but how was he meant to find the rings that would suit his purposes? It wasn't like he could read display cases or anything, and Jaune wasn't particularly inclined to ask one of the employees milling about. He hated asking for help, hated the idea that he wasn't good enough to do something on his own.

Maybe it would just take a fraction longer than expected. But it was probably better this way; he could let his 'sight' make the decision for him - avoid having his opinion influenced by someone who could actually see what Jaune was considering.

All the rings and other pieces of assorted jewellery were of course stained with the aura of anyone who had ever touched them; such was the way of all things that weren't living. This was irrelevant in regards to the actual properties of the metal. To determine that, he had to look deeper… it was almost like his soul sight in a way, but since small bands of metal didn't exactly have a soul it was more like a defining look at something non-living.

In particular, Jaune needed something that could withstand extreme temperature changes without melting or fracturing; anything too soft or not dense enough would be nigh useless - especially given that Jaune mostly used fire Dust.

Most of the rings his 'eyes' passed over were practically worthless, drab grey lights that would turn into a puddle under the heat of fire Dust. Others were interesting, though they weren't quite what he was looking for - though it was slightly surprising to see a small ring that could only be described as _blurple_. Who knew metal could turn out that way?

But soon enough, Jaune found exactly what he was looking for. Hidden in the far corner of the little shop and surrounded by lesser rings sat two _gorgeous_ red flares of light. At just a cursory glance Jaune could tell that extreme heat wouldn't be a problem for either of the rings, both of them looking like they could probably be dropped in magma without melting.

They were perfect.

"Something catch your eye?"

It was just some shop assistant. "Yes," he replied curtly, gesturing to the two rings that burned a stark red in his sight. "I want those rings." Normally he would be more polite, but living with Cardin Winchester didn't exactly reinforce proper manners.

"Are you quite sure, sir?" the shop assistant asked, a slight note of hesitation in his voice. "Those rings are quite expensive…"

Heh, he probably thought Jaune didn't have the money. The Arc family wasn't exactly hurting for Lien, and when Jaune made his escape to come to Beacon he made sure to take more than enough to cover all tuition fees as well as a good deal of extra spending money. He intended to pay it all back of course, but only after he became a master huntsman. "Yes, that's fine," Jaune said, his voice betraying his slight irritation at the delay. "How much are they?"

The transaction was quick and to the point, though Jaune got the impression that the man was rather surprised that he managed to pay without any issue. The two rings were warm in his hands when he finally got them, the heat of whatever happened to create the metal resonating within his sight. Whoever had formed these also had a greenish aura, but that would soon be wiped away as Jaune himself used them.

With absolute glee, Jaune slipped the first of the rings onto his right middle finger, the cool metal a polar opposite to the heat he knew it could sustain. The second ring went to the matching finger on his left hand; it was slightly uncomfortable on his fingers, but he would learn to live with it if it meant he didn't have to literally roast his hands anytime he wanted to fight like-

Why was the ground shaking?

It actually was, like something giant was-

Holy shit.

It was _The Prick_ , the orange aura of the asshole from the docks was literally running right towards him. Except apparently he'd gotten an upgrade… it wasn't fair, why did _he_ get a giantrobot? Jaune would have liked a giant robot…

The huge form of Torchwick in his robot sprinted past him, the ground shaking and rumbling as he went. Apparently either The Prick hadn't noticed Jaune standing there, or he just hadn't considered him much of a threat.

Either way it was a mistake on his part, because Jaune was _not_ going to be ignored. The Prick would come to rue the day that he ignored Jaune Arc!

The surprisingly fast machine sped onto the nearby highway, punting a few cars out of the way in its effort to chase… Blake? And that monkey Faunus guy from the docks, what was his name again? Star, or something.

Well, good news Blake and other guy! Because Jaune's tagging in for this!

Jaune dashed off into a sprint as he jumped onto the highway, only narrowly avoiding becoming a person-shaped smear on the ground by one of the many cars that were whizzing past. Since apparently the giant robot could run as fast as the cars on the highway - because that was totally fair - Jaune found himself at something of a disadvantage since he wasn't actually fast enough to keep up with the machine, but that was an easy problem to fix.

Because Jaune always came prepared.

Gravity Dust was always a handy thing; surprisingly, many people who used it didn't utilise both aspects, most preferring just to increase their weight or the weight of everything around them. Not that using it that way was _bad_ , it just seemed… limited. Maybe people just didn't realise the crazy benefits that making stuff lighter could have, like for example… the human body, thus granting one the ability to run fast enough to catch up to a giant robot tearing up the local highway and… wow, killing _lots_ of people as it punted cars out of the way.

Jaune was easily able to keep up with The Prick after making himself about twenty kilos lighter. Mostly this was thanks to his use of gravity Dust, but his aura also played a large part in it as well. Interestingly, Jaune had noticed that his control over his aura was actually _way_ more precise than any of the other students at Beacon, though the professors were still about the same level as him. Maybe it was because he used it so much more? Or maybe it was because he was just awesome.

Blake and the other guy were doing a pretty questionable job so far in Jaune's opinion, their aura-assisted leaps between cars causing just as many crashes as The Prick as they bounced between the moving vehicles. He'd have to bring that up with Blake later, because that was _not_ okay.

Yang's sunny yellow aura was coming up fast, some blue-coloured dude on her motorbike with her. That was good; he'd need the help to defeat The Prick.

"Hey Jaune!" Yang screamed as she pulled up beside him, her bike more than able to keep up with his Dust-powered sprint. "Slow it down!"

Oh totally, because it was just that easy of course. Nonetheless Jaune waved his Dust-free hand in affirmative, his mind already buzzing with ways to slow down Torchwick and his killer robot. He had plenty of Dust on him: fire, gravity, lightning and even some water too, but how would any of those be useful against the armoured chassis of the mech?

Nothing great came to mind, well, nothing that wouldn't involve what basically amounted to mass murder of the poor people just driving home from work that is.

But Jaune wasn't given much time to think, as apparently The Prick had noticed him. The garish orange aura within the cold metal machine tingled with amusement as he steered the giant machine into punting cars backwards towards where Jaune, Yang and whoever was on the back of her bike were.

Jaune dodged with a yelp, feeling righteously angry for the poor souls within the now demolished cars, their lives snuffed out in an instant by Torchwick. Slipping a warm fire Dust crystal into his free right hand, Jaune forced his aura through the Dust and into the ring on his finger, a fireball exploding outwards with traces of Jaune's spirit illuminating it to his vision.

The fireball splashed against the armoured back of the mech rather uselessly, though it did make him feel better.

The blue guy on the back of Yang's bike was an idiot though, that much became very clear very quickly as the moron leapt _onto_ the now smouldering back of the mech in an attempt to stab it with his… spear? Trident? Jaune couldn't quite tell.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, the blue aura'd idiot was soon being shaken around as Torchwick attempted to rid himself of the buffoon pissing in the gene pool.

"He's an idiot!" Jaune cried to Yang, the thrum of her bike mere metres away from him.

"I know, right!?" she shouted back, her brilliant golden aura flaring in agreement.

Apparently the Faunus guy that Blake was with was also an idiot as well; two empty projections of aura - which Jaune could only assume was a semblance of some kind - splashed harmlessly against the front of the mech as he tried to help his friend. Upon seeing that his attack had failed, the idiot must have thought that leaping towards the giant killer robot with only a complicated-looking stick was a _good_ idea.

Even to Jaune's blind eyes that particular course of action was beyond stupid, and that was really saying something considering he only had a couple of months worth of combat training - most of which amounted to little more than setting himself on fire and getting beat up a lot.

Predictably, the yellowish aura of the monkey guy was punted out of the way with ease, though even Jaune had to give credit to Torchwick for managing to make the blue idiot body-slam his friend mid-air, though Jaune was less than amused to see the two tumble off the highway and into the lower levels of the city.

Oh hey, was that Weiss? Her icy-cold aura dropped onto the highway before them, primed and ready by the look of things. And now that Jaune was actively looking he could 'see' Ruby too, but why was she beneath the highway? She couldn't exactly do much from there…

But Jaune's distraction cost him; Weiss, the master of ice Dust she was, slammed her rapier down and coaxed the Dust in her sword into making an extremely thin, extremely _slippery_ sheet of ice. The mech and The Prick staggered for a moment, but gravity wasn't something that took no for an answer, so in just a few short seconds the robot tumbled off the highway towards the ground below.

Unfortunately, Jaune was also a victim of this since while his own use of the now near-depleted gravity Dust made him obscenely fast, it didn't exactly grant him the ability to slow down. His sneakers slipped across the icy surface just as badly as Torchwick's death robot did, although thankfully Jaune didn't find himself tumbling from the edge of the highway.

Weiss leapt off the side just as Yang brought her bike to a skidding halt before Jaune, her brilliant golden aura shining with exhilaration. "You coming, Vomit Boy?" she quickly asked, gesturing downwards towards where the mech was only now righting itself.

Jaune pushed himself up, surprised that he wasn't feeling any of the usual side-effects of prolonged use of gravity Dust. But that surprise soon turned to elation when he realised it was because of the ring on his left hand; he'd been using it to channel the power - and by god did he feel good now. None of the usual symptoms like loss of balance or motion sickness plagued him, he felt great! "Sure," he resisted smirking, knowing how ugly that made him. "I have a bone to pick with that guy."

He and Yang quickly made their way over to the edge of the highway, the busty girl leaping off without any hesitation whatsoever. Jaune grimaced and followed suit; he had never been particularly keen on heights. It wasn't that he was afraid of them exactly, it was just that when he was really high up he tended to have problems with gravity.

Thankfully, his fall was broken by his aura rather than his ankles. "Ladies," Jaune greeted politely to the other members of RWBY, "I was just in the neighbourhood and I thought I'd drop by."

 _Nailed it._

Yang snorted, Ruby laughed, and Jaune got the distinct impression that Weiss and Blake were glaring at him.

"Hey Jaune!" Ruby said brightly as Torchwick and his death robot stalked closer, "Help us deal with this!"

Internally Jaune smirked, that was the plan. With a shout he hurled a fireball at the towering machine, his hands remaining thoroughly unburnt as he channelled the power of the fire Dust though his new rings.

"Weiss and Jaune!" Ruby yelled, "Keep it distracted!"

She wasn't his leader, but Jaune would take the order anyway. It wasn't like Cardin was here, nor would he be terribly useful against an opponent such as this.

The icy-looking aura of Weiss stepped up to his side, her rapier thrumming with power. "Arc!" she snapped, "You attack the body and I'll immobilize the legs!"

Jaune nodded and willed the wisps of flame that still clung to the machine from his last attack to burn hotter and brighter, his strength of will powering his offensive.

Weiss flourished her sword, and with precision Jaune knew he couldn't match several large blocks of ice sprouted around the machine's legs, though it was only mildly effective at slowing it down.

Several missiles shot out of the robot, all of them arcing towards the two Dust users violently with speed that Jaune had little chance to react to. Weiss elegantly danced out of the way from Torchwick's counter, but Jaune wasn't quite so lucky; he had only moments to raise his hands to shield his body before the explosives slammed into him with a thunderous explosion.

"Jaune!" Ruby cried from somewhere behind him, "Yang! Hammerfall!"

Jaune's head was ringing. Fuck, that hurt! His aura quivered in agony as he lowered his guard, just what kind of missiles were those?! If he hadn't poured his aura into his arms to protect himself then he would have been a bloody red smear across the ground! Where the hell did The Prick get a robot that could do that? And why couldn't he have one?!

Fortunately for Jaune, Torchwick was unable to continue his attack. If he had… well, aura was useful but it wasn't all-powerful. And Jaune's dream of becoming the most powerful hunter in the world wouldn't exactly work if he became a fine red mist.

In a series of complex movements that Jaune had neither the time nor inclination to focus on, Blake launched Yang high into the air above the robot, the vibrant golden aura of Yang practically humming in anticipation as she sailed through the air.

She came down on the machine like a storm, the gravity-assisted dive allowing her to smash into the cockpit with extreme force. Not enough force to actually damage the damn thing, but enough to slow it down momentarily.

"You okay Jaune?" Ruby cried as she dashed up to him, her burning red aura so similar to that of a blooming rose.

Jaune staggered to his feet. "Yeah…" he muttered as Yang continued to pummel the robot, "I just took a bad fall…"

But he was more than ready for some payback.

"Weiss!" he barked, more than ready to end this fight already. "How much lightning Dust do you have?"

The pale, icy aura of the Schnee girl flickered in contained contempt. "Enough, why?"

Jaune didn't answer her question, instead he turned to Ruby and said: "Get Yang off there, Weiss and I are gonna try and cook the robot!"

Ruby nodded, "Blake! Ladybug!"

The Faunus girl nodded, and hardly an instant later both Blake and Ruby were running perpendicular to each other. Their respective weapons slashed at the legs of the machine, not truly doing any significant damage but still enough to draw Torchwick's attention. "Yang!" Ruby shouted as she made another pass, "Off!"

Jaune readied his lightning Dust as Yang leapt from the mech, idly watching as Weiss did the same with her rapier. Only when Yang was totally clear did he roar to Ruby to get out of the way, "MOVE!"

In a burst of semblance-powered speed, Ruby grabbed Blake and within less than a second the two were clear.

Baleful arcs of lightning shot out of Jaune's hands and Weiss' sword towards the mech, the energy crossing the gap in an instant and raging over the metal coffin that Torchwick was piloting. Weiss' use of the Dust was much more refined than his own, her power shooting outwards in a single devastating bolt of destruction instead of the maelstrom of chaotic energy that Jaune produced.

Jaune smirked lightly as the bright orange aura of The Prick faded slightly from within; obviously their plan was working! They just needed to keep this up-

The ground below Jaune and Weiss' feet exploded violently, concrete pelting Jaune's already weary aura as he was blasted backwards. Just what the hell was that?

"Weiss! Jaune!" the other three cried, their shouts blotted out by the stomps of the machine as it drew closer.

Within moments, his question answered itself. Dust cannons. The frickin thing had _Dust cannons_! Dust cannons were something of a cheat really, since they took all the naturally occurring types of Dust and mixed it into one single destructive attack that wasn't terribly useful against the Grimm, but made up for that in their absurd ability to annihilate aura.

Weiss wasn't looking too good; her aura was faded so much that Jaune easily pegged her as being at less than 15%. Luckily for him though his aura reserves were pretty big, and he hovered around 40%.

Jaune staggered to his feet, "I'm okay!" he coughed, feeling anything but. "Weiss is done though!"

The other three made a deadly, and frankly stupid mistake however; in their haste to see if Jaune and Weiss were okay, they _turned their backs_ to the giant killer robot.

Almost in slow motion, Jaune watched as the aura-stained cannon rose again, this time taking aim at the backs of the distracted huntresses. Before initiation Jaune might have thrown himself in the way, but now he had a better idea.

Dust.

An earth Dust crystal slipped into his left hand just as Jaune slammed his knuckles into the concrete, willing with all his might for the Dust to obey his order and bend to his command.

It did, luckily for Blake, Yang and Ruby. A thin wall of stone shot upwards behind them - effectively blocking a powerful shot from The Prick that would have taken them out of the fight. "Fuck yeah!" Jaune shouted, elated that it had worked - earth Dust wasn't something he had really explored the use of up until now.

A plan was quickly forming in Jaune's mind; this robot thingy was obviously super durable, the only damage they'd really managed to achieve being when Yang dropped onto it. The problem was that she was just too _light_ to cause any significant damage, but Jaune could fix that problem.

"Yang!" he shouted, hoping that they would understand quickly, he didn't know how long his improvised wall would hold out… "That attack you did earlier! Hammer-something, we need to do it again!"

"What?!" she demanded, her golden aura vibrant. "Why?! It didn't work!"

"Because you weren't heavy enough!" She couldn't be offended by that, right? He was saying that she was the opposite of fat! "If you do it again, I can use gravity Dust to make you heavier!"

"Yang!" Ruby shouted, "Just do it!"

Yang grumbled something that Jaune didn't hear, but complied anyway. Her aura pooled in her feet while her right hand gripped the ribbon of Blake's weapon.

The flimsy wall finally shattered, and in that same moment Yang launched herself into the air with an aura-assisted leap, Blake's ribbon helping provide direction while in the air.

Jaune's part of the shitty plan was probably the most difficult. Using gravity Dust wasn't actually that hard when the only target was the user, but it got progressively more difficult the faster or further away the target was. Finesse was also a rather tricky issue when focussing on someone else; if Jaune didn't put enough power into it, then Yang wouldn't be heavy enough to destroy the robot, but if he put too much power into it then he might accidentally make Yang crap out her spine as well as the vast majority of her organs - which was actually entirely possible if he _really_ over did it.

But fortunately for Yang, Jaune had been practicing with gravity Dust almost obsessively since Forever Fall. So when he reached out with all the fine control that he could muster, Yang didn't lose any of her insides, though she did get about three times heavier.

Her brilliant golden aura dropped out of the air like a meteor onto the robot, the obscene amount of force having exactly the intended affect - utterly shattering the cockpit of the mech and dealing a hefty blow to the pulsing orange aura of Torchwick as he was thrown to the ground.

"Damn," the criminal muttered as he brushed his hands over his clothes, "I just got this thing cleaned."

Yang stumbled out of the wreckage of the robot, her aura practically shaking from the sudden changes in gravity. "Whoa there, vomit boy," she choked as she staggered to a ready position, "you really know how to show a girl a good time!"

Jaune couldn't help but feel his cheeks burn slightly at that, "Well I-"

"WELL…" Torchwick said loudly, drawing attention back to him, "I hate to break up this _witty_ banter, but I have places to be! Dust to steal, people to rob."

Yeah, no. After all the trouble that they had to go through they weren't gonna let him get away now. "Like hell, prick," Jaune grunted, "You're going to prison!"

Roman chuckled, his already waning aura flickering in dull amusement. "I think not, ugly."

Ohh, that stings. What an _original_ insult, Jaune had never heard _that_ one before.

"Cute," Blake snarled in Jaune's defence, "but it won't save you."

The Faunus girl raised her gun, quickly firing off a few shots to end the discussion. But moments before the rounds impacted, a new aura - a new person - came into the fray. The… girl… was short. _Very_ short. And their aura was… pink? A lightish red for sure. With a single sweep of her… umbrella… the bullets were deflected away from The Prick, the lightish red aura practically purring in amusement.

"Neo," the criminal chuckled, "if you would?"

Jaune's blind eyes widened as the scene unfolded around him. The two auras before him… vanished? One moment they were there, but the next… there was just a phantasm of sorts left. It clearly wasn't actually them, but more like a faded image of them had been left behind. Was this a semblance of some kind? Teleportation perhaps? Or was it an illusion? Or both even?

But apparently he was the only one to notice this; Yang leapt forward with an aura-assisted leap towards the ghostly traces of aura, seemingly unaware that her targets were long gone. With a yell, Yang's vibrant golden aura crashed against the empty space, the sound of breaking glass the primary indicator that the illusion had literally shattered.

"Huh?" Yang muttered, seemingly at a loss as to what exactly happened.

"They're gone," Jaune muttered, vaguely seeing something that _could_ be the orange aura of Torchwick in the far distance. "It was an illusion."

Yang swore loudly, while the other three girls muttered curses that Jaune couldn't quite hear. Oh well, you can't exactly win everything. Besides, they fought a giant killer robot and won! That had to count for something, right?

"So…" Jaune drawled, "Anyone wanna get some dinner? I'm famished!"

Jaune got the distinct impression that Blake and Weiss were glaring at their teammates as Ruby and Yang practically cheered. "Yeah! Great idea Jaune!" Ruby breathed as her aura began to relax, "I'm starving!"

"Aww, you know how to treat a girl!" Yang slapped him on the back roughly, though not unkindly.

It was nice to have friends.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

Ruby was bummed.

Not an emotion she felt very often, not having felt it in any significant quantity since her mother vanished when she was little. But now… everything had been going so well; she'd stopped Torchwick from robbing that shop, gotten into Beacon, made a bunch of new friends… but then _he_ showed up.

The Lord of Hunger, the man that had single-handedly wiped out an entire city block in Vale. Even Ozpin, the wise and powerful headmaster of Beacon, acknowledged that the Lord of Hunger was incredibly dangerous. Of course, Ruby and the others had believed him… but even Ozpin's televised warning hadn't prepared them for what it was like to actually meet the 'man' in person.

Officially, teams RWBY and JNPR fought the criminal within Forever Fall, but unofficially? That hadn't been a fight, the word 'fight' implied that they'd had a _chance_ to win - which they did not. Worse still was the fact that the Lord of Hunger took her friends away! Particularly Jaune - the boy who was literally the first friend she had made at Beacon, and easily the person she was most comfortable with not counting Yang.

Currently she was sitting alone in the library, having needed to get out of the crushing atmosphere that had seemed to suffocate the RWBY dorm room since their failure in Forever Fall. Weiss, Yang and Blake were great and all, but sometimes Ruby just needed to get out and think. Even if said thinking didn't extend past lamenting her own failures and the general failure her time at Beacon had been so far.

It wasn't fair! It wasn't meant to be this way. Beacon was meant to be an adventure where she and her new friends learnt to be kickass hunters and beat Grimm, not… this.

With the loss of Jaune and Pyrrha, team JNPR - now only consisting of Ren and Nora - had been officially assigned as an attachment to team RWBY. But it was just so depressing; Nora constantly shifted between manic energy and quiet sadness that would just make Ruby's heart break. Ren was quiet, not that he had spoken much to begin with, but now he just _didn't_ speak at all.

It was just so frustrating! The feeling of utter powerlessness, the crushing knowledge that even if they found and confronted the Lord of Hunger then they would have literally no chance of winning. The false lord's semblance was just too overpowered, there was absolutely no way Ruby could think of a counter for it!

"Lien for your thoughts?"

The cold and metallic-sounding voice washed over Ruby like a bucket of ice water, utterly snapping her out of her misery and Grimm-attracting thoughts. Across the table from her was… one of the huntresses from Forever Fall! One of the four women that had found them after RWBY's crushing defeat at the hands of the Lord of Hunger. _Also_ one of the only four women that were able to fight the crazy Lord on a somewhat level playing field. "N-nothing really…" Ruby squeaked, her silver eyes locked onto the faceless black visor of the huntress before her.

"I'm not exactly allowed to tell you my name," the presumably older woman chatted, her voice still distorted by the helmet, "but you can just call me 'Red' for now, I suppose it'll do as well as any other name."

"I'm Ruby," the younger girl muttered, not really seeing where this was going, or why the huntress was speaking to her.

"You're upset about what happened in Forever Fall, right?" Red asked, her hands resting lightly on the wooden table. "Don't be."

Ruby looked up sharply, was she that easy to read? That emotionally open? Only Yang was that good normally, the elder sister able to pick up on even the slightest nuances in Ruby's normally cheerful and upbeat mood. "And why shouldn't I be?" Ruby groaned, "it wasn't even a fight, it was a slaughter - made worse because we lost Jaune and Pyrrha!" Ruby was panting by the end of her rant, a sudden self-directed anger over her failure burning through her mind.

"I've lost friends before," the other woman said airily, not at all concerned over the outburst. "When I was in school I had this one friend, my best friend, and he was a kind soul… but he's gone now."

Ruby slumped back down, feeling immediately guilty. Here she was complaining over losing a fight and having two friends _kidnapped_ \- as in _not dead_ \- while this huntress admitted that her best friend was dead. "What…" Ruby began slowly, "what happened to him?"

Red seemed to pause for a second, the dark armour that covered her entire body going still as the older woman pondered the question. "He had a family, a daughter and a wife who he loved more than anything else in the world…" Red paused, her hands rubbing together almost nervously. "But life was cruel to him, and eventually he started being cruel back. When his daughter and wife died… his kindness died with them."

"How did he die?" Ruby asked not unkindly, not quite sure why she was so curious.

"Oh, he's not dead," the older huntress said lightly, "you've even met him."

What? Ruby hadn't met anyone like that! It was impossible, no one she knew fit the criteria for what 'Red' described. "What?" Ruby asked, puzzled. "No I haven't."

Red hummed, "Yes you have, just recently in Forever Fall when he took Pyrrha and the Arc boy away."

Ruby shot to her feet in a blur, her mouth open in shocked horror as she stared at the seated huntress before her. That couldn't be true, it just couldn't be. The Lord of Hunger was an evil monster, a villain and a freak. Not… not a _person_. The thought was just too alien to her, the concept that the Lord of Hunger was… _tragic_ was just wrong. He was a murderer, he was evil!

Her disbelief must have been showing on her face, because Red laughed quietly as she beckoned for Ruby to sit back down. "I know what you're thinking, 'but he's evil', right?"

Ruby nodded dumbly, not trusting her mouth to say anything remotely intelligent.

"Good and evil isn't quite so… black and white, Ruby," Red continued. "Yes he's a murderer, yes he practically destroyed downtown Vale. But I've killed before, a mother and a daughter. I've caused more than a bit of property damage in my time too, does that make me evil?"

"You've killed people?" Ruby whispered, "Why?"

"Because I had to," Red replied, though Ruby caught the bitter edge to her voice. "Because it was 'the right thing to do'."

"But why?" Ruby pressed, "What did they ever do to you? Why did they deserve to die?"

Red hummed as she rose to her feet, "They didn't, but he did… it was the only way." Red stepped away from Ruby, her swift steps signalling the end of the conversation.

…

 **Beacon, present day…**

That had been an… interesting conversation.

Ruby, or Red as she had called herself, stepped out of the library and slowly began to make her way towards her room.

Speaking to her alternate self had been both enlightening and somewhat disappointing; enlightening because the younger girl had a rather… unique perspective on Nihilus that Ruby herself had never experienced back when she had been a student. The hatred wasn't there - but neither was the close friendship and the eventual sting of betrayal. It was disappointing because her younger self still had such a narrow view of the world, still seeing everything as good and evil.

Obviously she'd been like that herself once upon a time, but that had been what? Over ten years ago? It was distant enough that such a time seemed practically alien to her now; the utter innocence, the belief that everyone fell into either a 'good guy' or 'bad guy' role.

And the questions that her younger self had asked… while they were reasonable, they also brought up the familiar stab of guilt that Ruby had long since grown used to. Yes, she had killed before, and yes she did it because it had been necessary - or it had at least seemed like it at the time. She still remembered it so clearly… the snow, the thunderous roar of Ironwood's machines as they tore away at someone who just wanted to be left alone. The single crack of her rifle as the bullet carved its way into the single greatest regret of her life.

What had the girl looked like? It had been years ago now, and Ruby's memory was fading slightly. The little girl… red hair like her mother, but with those gorgeous violet eyes, dull and lifeless in death. She wasn't meant to be there; hell, no one even knew she existed up until that point! She was just a child, no older than what Ruby herself had been when she had lost her own mother.

One death that day Ruby had planned on, hated, but expected. But two deaths… no. She knew it well enough; Jaune became what he is now because of her.

 _It was all her fault._

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

The world around Jaune exploded into fire with just a single snap of his fingers.

Unlike when he used his new powers against the mechs that had stormed down the rough and narrow stairs to the basement, Jaune's current use of fire Dust was much more… hazardous.

The flames curled around him and Pyrrha like a cyclone, the intense heat burning with a barely restrained fury that practically begged Jaune for a release. The flames licked and bit at the heels of the two young hunters as it throbbed under Jaune's control, the roar of the blinding heat more than enough to immolate anyone without aura.

Jaune gasped and struggled to control the immense power that now gushed out of his body, the ring on his finger searing his skin with its blinding heat from focussing the fire. Pyrrha huddled slightly closer and shouted something to him, but her words were utterly lost under the roar of the fire that swirled around them.

 _Kill, kill, kill…_ the words were a chant in Jaune's mind as white-hot rage flooded through him, and this time he knew something was wrong.

Never before had Jaune wanted to kill anyone, or anything besides Grimm. But now… hatred poured from every corner of his mind, utter and all-encompassing rage at the maggots that _dared_ attack him and Pyrrha.

It was too much; like the inferno around him, Jaune felt his anger mounting to new levels, his desire to utterly annihilate the veritable army that had confronted them was growing too strong for him to control. He… he couldn't stop it, the rage was too great. The all-consuming _fury_ that burned through his soul, an anger that Jaune could hardly even comprehend let alone control. Distantly, he knew that it was wrong, that it wasn't him… but the rage was so _real_ and so _close_ that he found himself not caring.

They were filthy, disgusting creatures that deserved the burning hell Jaune was about to unleash. Their lives meant nothing in the face of what they had done; he needed to burn them _all_! They were slime, beneath even the Grimm. How _dare_ they continue to live? Their crimes were absolute, and their punishment would be the same!

A vicious snarl crossed Jaune's features as he pumped all the power of the fire Dust into the inferno, his rage pushing him to new heights of power so he could stand a mountain above the filthy creatures that dared threaten him and his family! He would never let them hurt her again! He would have his revenge against them _all!_

Fire wreathed around Jaune as his righteous anger mounted to new levels, the flames burning so hotly that anything outside the centre of the cyclone began to combust from the sheer heat.

Anything except the soldiers, that is.

In his rage Jaune didn't question it, but he _saw_ the aura of all the worthless beings now, facing off against him and his towering inferno of fire. He watched as the lights quivered in both terror and grim determination, he watched with morbid delight as those foolish enough to get too close were utterly consumed by his cleansing flames - their aura utterly extinguished in mere moments.

The foolish weaklings tried to douse his flames with ice and water Dust, but it was to no avail. His mastery was too great, his righteous anger too much for their petty attempts to save their worthless lives.

The blinding brightness of his towering inferno was too much for his eyes, but Jaune watched anyway. His aura provided the means to see in far more clarity than ever before the mesmerising sights of the world, more specifically the Vale military around him being consumed by his unstoppable flames. He 'saw' as Professor Port, the vile and cretinous thing he was, struggle as the fire began to tear away at his aura, the elder professor struggling violently against the flames for a surprising amount of time until it utterly consumed him.

Jaune couldn't help but laugh in delight as the filthy man died what was no doubt an agonising death, serves the bastard right! He deserved it! They _all_ deserve it!

Power throbbed outwards as Jaune extended his might, the cyclone of fire reaching new heights under Jaune's enraged will. Soon, the nearby bullheads began to either flee or were consumed in the fire, the machinery melting and crashing into the already dwindling legions of mechs below.

The power of his crystals had been halved getting here, but that was no issue. At this point Jaune knew it was only a matter of time before he totally decimated the worthless scum that dared face him.

The assembled hunters were dropping like flies, their aura only lasting mere seconds before they met their death under his impressive might.

Yes… they deserved this, they _all_ deserved this. Their suffering meant _nothing_ to him, why should he care? After all, they never cared when _he_ suffered. This was his justice! His retribution for what they had done to him! But he needed more, more than just these nameless and faceless grunts. He needed the man responsible, the _hollow_ that had caused all this.

His name! What was his name?! He was so _angry_ , he couldn't think. What was the beast's name?! The foul thing that had ruined the only light he had in the world, the hollow man that had destroyed his one single chance at happiness… the anger was there, the impossible fury that drove him to survive, but the knowledge of the man that had done this was just… absent.

Jaune howled with mind-wrenching fury. It wasn't fair! These… _weaklings_ didn't know suffering! He suffered! He was the one that struggled, that fought and had lost! Not them, never them!

But all the rage, all the anger, all the fury that had encompassed Jaune's soul died as _she_ appeared before him. It was like a bucket of ice water was dumped over his head, an utter coldness that drenched through his spirit and washed away the foreign and unnatural anger that had plagued him. The instant that _she_ appeared, all the righteous fury was just… gone.

It was the little girl again; her vibrant red hair and gorgeous violet eyes forced his mind back into reality.

The fire began to dull as Jaune stared at the little girl, her expressive purple eyes swimming with tears as she ran her small hand down the side of his face. "Please…" she begged quietly, her voice bleeding over the sound of the dying inferno. "Don't let it happen again… don't let history repeat itself… please daddy…" the blood-stained snow suit she wore darkened even more as she whispered to him.

And in that single instant, Jaune felt himself slump to the ground, dully noting that Pyrrha was looking at him in absolute horror. The fire slowly died around them, the raging heat evaporating under Jaune's faltering will.

Within moments the fire was extinguished completely, leaving only a thick haze of ash and the intense smell of burnt flesh.

Slowly, almost fearfully, Jaune let his blue eyes wander over the decimated area around them. Ash hung in the air like a poison, and what was once the relatively undamaged centre of Beacon was absolutely gone, replaced with a charred ruin. Half-disintegrated bodies were scattered left and right, the disgusting stench of burnt flesh oozing off the decimated corpses.

And all of this was because of him. All the death, all the pain… what… what had he done? How could he have done this? He was a murderer! A freak! This…. this was evil, this was so wrong…

Jaune howled once again, but this time it was in utter despair. He slumped to the ground as tears began to work their way down his face and onto the ashen ground; vaguely, he heard Pyrrha say something from beside him, but he was too lost to care.

This was his fault. _He_ did this. All of this.

The deaths, the suffering, the misery… he was a monster, an abomination… he killed people, dozens of innocent people that were just doing their jobs...

A shadow crossed over Jaune's hunched form, but he didn't bother to raise his eyes to see who it was. Why did it matter? He was a monster, a murderer, no better than the Grimm…

"Is it everything you expected, Usurper?" The words of Nihilus stabbed through his mind like a sword, "This is what you asked for, after all."

Jaune finally raised his sapphire-blue eyes to look at the man that had given him this 'gift'. "What…" he croaked, "Why…?"

Nihilus knelt down, his sickly yellow eyes locking onto Jaune with absolute hatred pouring from him. "The power to cause pain is the only power that matters, the power to kill and destroy," the dark lord breathed, his vicious yellow eyes staring at Jaune like he was the absolute worst thing on the planet. "Because if you can't kill, then you will always be subject to those that can, and then nothing and no one will ever save you, Usurper."

Jaune wailed. Was this what he had become? Just another Nihilus? Just another _freak_ that ruined everyone else's lives? He was less than human, literally a younger version of the monster that even now hovered over him.

"Nihilus," he heard Pyrrha mutter, "what… what did you do to him!?"

Jaune curled up as tightly as he could, his armour clinking together as he did so. Couldn't Pyrrha see? Nihilus didn't do anything, this was all _his_ fault. _He_ was a killer, _he_ was the one that did this. Not Nihilus, he just gave Jaune the means.

"Me?" Nihilus purred above Jaune, his voice showing none of his previous anger. "He wanted this, he asked for the power and so I gave it to him." Jaune felt himself sob even harder as Nihilus spoke the truth. "The Usurper did this himself, he killed them all himself… he is to blame, little champion."

Pyrrha made a sound that was suspiciously similar to a gag, "How can you be so heartless? He didn't want this! He would never want this! If you were really Jaune Arc then you would apologise, and do whatever you could to undo the damage you have done!"

"Apologise?" Nihilus practically hissed, towering rage in his voice. "For being heartless?" Out of the corner of Jaune's tear-ridden eyes he saw the false lord quiver with barely-restrained anger. "Do you see what I am? Do you see what I do? Did anyone _apologise_ for making me this way? NO! The world isn't fair, get over it."

Jaune just sobbed.

Pyrrha had a different reaction though; her own mounting anger was becoming steadily more apparent. She screamed something at him, though Jaune hardly cared to hear what it was. She was wrong in trying to validate what he had done; she was a fool to believe that Nihilus had forced this on Jaune… he had asked for this. He asked Nihilus for power…. How arrogant of him.

"Usurper?" Nihilus cackled, utterly ignoring Pyrrha once again. "Get up, Usurper. I mended the world, but now it is time for us to leave."

Leave? What was the point? He was a monster, in this world and his own. Nothing would ever erase his sins; they would always be there, like a stain on his soul. And even then… what would happen if they returned? Nihilus might drag them around some more, but… even if the false lord _didn't_ do that, what would Jaune do? Despite his new power and skill he suddenly found the idea of being a hunter rather… repulsive. How could he ever be a hunter? Hunters were meant to be the embodiment of honour and mercy - something Jaune himself had been decidedly lacking in when he slaughtered dozens of people a few minutes ago.

He couldn't exactly return home either, with it having burnt down and all. He didn't even know if his family was still alive… he had seen his father before coming to this god-forsaken world, but his mother? His sisters? If they weren't face down in a ditch somewhere, then they probably would have fled to the nearest village. And… they probably hated him right now. What would they think, their son running off to go save a known murderer and terrorist? His mother and eldest sister Violet might forgive him, but the others? Jaune wasn't so sure.

But apparently Nihilus wasn't in the mood to deal with Jaune's sorrow.

With a harsh yank the pale lord pulled Jaune to his eye level, a surprising feat of strength considering that Jaune was still hunched on the ground sobbing. "Usurper, we are leaving."

"Why?" Jaune croaked, tears still seeping from his eyes. "What's the point?"

Nihilus didn't answer; ungracefully Jaune found himself dumped back on the ashen ground, the false lord above him looking into the distance.

"What are you doing?" Pyrrha demanded, her voice still holding a venomous edge directed at Nihilus.

The immortal didn't bother answering her either. With a grunt and a vicious wave of his hands the world around them began to dull, light fading into darkness gradually until only a single light remained before them: a large, purple… tear.

It was extremely similar to the rift that Nihilus had forced them through back in Dorme, but it was… calmer? In Dorme it had been violent flashes of light and total chaos when they looked upon it. But this portal… it looked almost serene? Like staring at a calm pond, the gentle eddies of purple energy swirling around in calm patterns.

All in all, this portal looked _natural_.

"Finally," Nihilus breathed, his sickly yellow eyes wide with delight. "I leave this place of torment and unto the new world."

Then, with a grin of absolute delight, Nihilus laughed as Pyrrha glared daggers at him while she stepped into the rift herself.

"Your turn, Usurper," Nihilus cackled once Pyrrha was gone, his eyes wide with malice.

Jaune dragged himself to his feet, his sad blue eyes wandering between the portal and his older self. "Maybe… it would be better if you just left me," he whispered, he was a monster now after all. If he returned… there would be nothing for a freak like him.

But apparently Nihilus wasn't having it. "No…" he breathed, a cruel gleam in his blind eyes. "You asked for this, Usurper… I paid the price for wanting more power; I wanted to be the best, the greatest! And you? You asked for the power to help your friend, you wanted to be strong… and now that you are, you will live with it!"

With a violent shove Nihilus tackled Jaune into the portal, the two Arcs tumbling through worlds at exactly the same moment.

 **A/N**

 **So little Jaune has made a rather explosive entrance into the world of murder, all topped off with a healthy dash of self loathing. All in a day's work I suppose? And it really is work too! Jaune just killed not only Port and Oobleck, but a decent chunk of Vale's military too - quite the achievement for somebody who only a few days ago would have been turned into a bloody red smear across the ground in initiation were it not for the timely intervention of Pyrrha.**

 **Add to that Jaune's new title! Usurper. An interesting change from the hilariously ironic (for me anyway) title of 'shell'. Whatever could the new title mean? Could it perhaps be in reference to Jaune's, frankly, infuriatingly quick rise to power?**

 **Meh, you'll see…**

 **Reviews:  
**

 **Romulus Black Talon:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
Nope, he did something way, way worse.**

 **Guest:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Cinder's soul doesn't exist anymore. Neither does Amber's or (the original) Jaune's. They are Nihilus. None of them can be removed or transferred simply because they don't exist anymore. It would be like if I got a bucket of red paint, a bucket of yellow paint, and a bucket of of green paint and mixed them altogether for a couple of hours, let it dry, then told you to get the red out of it.**

 **As for how exactly Nihilus has the power to bend reality and make portals… that is actually an ability anyone can learn, Nihilus was just the first to do so. It's a skill one gets when they achieve absolute… understanding. You'll see later…**

 **Death-The-Horsemen:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Thanks!**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Jaune is now, whether he likes it or not, an absolute master over the power of fire Dust. Though saying he 'controls' it would be a stretch, especially given what happened in this chapter.**

 **Noir's (kick ass name, have to admit) control over his particular favourite Dust types is absolute. And I haven't really read any other stories that featured heavily on a Dust user as the primary character (in terms of mechanics I mean), so I like to think what I'm writing is fairly unique.**

 **COOLER:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Thanks, I try.**

 **Jaune and Pyrrha (and pretty much every other character as well) have some trying times ahead of them, but things are just beginning for them…**

 **SonicFanFlame:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **The reason behind it being rings and not gloves (or pretty much anything else) will become clear later. And I think this is a pretty good example of things getting worse for Jaune…**

 **Even without using his semblance Nihilus as he is in the present would absolutely crush Pyrrha in a fight (if he felt the inclination anyway), but at the point we are with the flashbacks Jaune (Nihilus) isn't even close to being a fraction as powerful as his future self.**

 **Ruby's reasoning behind killing are rather vague at the moment, but will become very clear in the near future. And that's assuming she knew about the kid first - which she did not.**

 **thelastcenturion2015:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I thought it was fairly unique.**

* * *

 **A huge thank you to anyone who takes the time to review! I always love reading what people have to say about my work, I'll see you all next time!**


	17. Hollow Victory

Wraith

Chapter Seventeen

Beta: Smithrooks

Hollow Victory

 **Beacon, present day…**

Pyrrha was deeply thankful that the portal was nothing like last time.

Where before it had been unimaginable pain that could only be compared to rusty nails carving bloody trenches across her soul, this time the portal was… calm, like warm water gently washing over her spirit, soothing her frayed nerves and calming her troubled thoughts.

All at once, Pyrrha felt herself enter the real world once more, a wave of purple light washing over her until she found herself tumbling into a dimly lit area. At a glance she couldn't tell where exactly, though after a moment of inspection it became clear that she hadn't actually moved much spatially when going through the portal - this must be what the sub-level of Beacon Tower looked like when there was still, well, a tower. The dull green lighting wasn't particularly helpful, but she could make out what looked to be scattered rubble strewn across the floor, as well as a myriad of spiderweb-like cracks running across the ceiling where there appeared to be a hastily covered hole. On the far side of the room was a… coffin? A metal pod of some kind, though she was too far away to see what exactly it contained.

Normally, she would quickly rush to her feet… but she was just so tired. After spending so much time around the sick and twisted version of Jaune that called itself Nihilus she was beginning to build a slight resistance to his semblance, but the call of torpor was an ever-present thing when he was near. Just being near the false lord was a struggle; the poisonous effect of his semblance was like an ocean constantly trying to pull her under the water in an effort to drown her, made all the worse because he wasn't actually _trying_ to do that - it was as natural as breathing to him.

 _He's still a person though._

That thought had been stabbing at her ever since she'd met the… fragment… in the cave. The crushing realisation that while Nihilus was an utter monster, he was also just a man, with hopes and dreams of his own. This troubling thought was made worse by the fact that Nihilus was literally an older version of her partner, Jaune.

And just a few short minutes ago, Jaune himself had never made that clearer.

She'd been so sure of him when she chose him to be her partner… Jaune hadn't known her, hadn't even the faintest clue about her fame or skill. And yet he'd been kind anyway; sure he had mainly been interested in flirting with Weiss at the time, but that was beside the point. When the Schnee girl had ranted and raved at him for his obliviousness he didn't seem to mind, and when Weiss informed Jaune about Pyrrha's achievements all he'd had to say was ' _good for her I suppose?'_

But that was wrong… the kind and caring young man that she'd met that day had been _corrupted_ by Nihilus.

She had been slightly startled when Jaune started using fire Dust, but on paper it made sense. Nihilus was an older Jaune, and he _seemed_ to be a master Dust user - masterful enough that it almost seemed magical in nature; she'd never actually seen any Dust on his person. And if Nihilus was a master Dust-mage, then that must mean that Jaune was skilled with Dust as well, right? Perhaps not to the same degree, but still skilled in his own right.

She'd been surprised by the angry and hateful expression that had twisted his face as he immolated the legion of droids pouring down the stairway, but that could be passed off as him finally reaching a breaking point after all the stress of the past few days. Everyone had a limit; perhaps he'd just reached his?

But then they had been surrounded on the surface…

Jaune killed them. He killed them _all_.

She had been utterly unable to stop him as Jaune murdered dozens, no - _hundreds_ of people in a fit of anger. The way his face twisted so hatefully that he looked like an entirely different person, the utter, all-encompassing _rage_ that twisted his features… that couldn't have been Jaune. The kind boy she knew wouldn't have done that - _couldn't_ have done that.

Nihilus must have done something; he _had_ to have done something.

Jaune had looked so… dead inside, once it finally dawned on him what he'd done. Just a single glance at his blue eyes showed Pyrrha that he hadn't been in total control of his actions, the remorse and crushing sorrow that seeped from him wasn't that of a man pleased with his kills.

The room flared purple again as both Jaune and Nihilus were spat out, the younger Arc male crumpling to the floor silently with a dead look in his eyes while Nihilus stood tall and proud with a deep grin splitting his face.

It was like the monster was _pleased_ with what it had corrupted Jaune into doing.

"Back again?" the Grimm-man cooed, his sickly yellow eyes swivelling around in his skull in frankly dizzying motions. "This time I will take her… yes I will, take the beautiful Amber away…"

How sickening… and to think that she had pitied Nihilus after speaking to the fragment. Now she knew better; he was a monster, a vile beast that derived amusement and joy from the suffering of others.

"Pyrrha…" Jaune croaked quietly from the ground, "Pyrrha, we need to escape…"

The younger Arc reached out his hand towards her, but Pyrrha couldn't help but flinch back and away from his touch. She knew that it wasn't entirely his fault, that Nihilus had done something to him… but Jaune was a killer. A murderer.

But Jaune was right, they did need to escape from Nihilus. He was a sick monster, but he also wasn't terribly skilled at forethought apparently. When they had first went to the other world they didn't move spatially, arriving at the exact same spot they left from. So if that was how the dimension traveling worked, then that must mean that they were now in Beacon, or under it at the very least. Now was easily the best chance they had to escape.

"She's coming!" Nihilus suddenly cackled, yellow eyes wide with delight as he rubbed his hands together. "The hollow one is coming…"

Pyrrha didn't care to find out who Nihilus was talking about; hopefully it was one of those huntresses that wore armour that was somehow immune to his parasitic semblance. Anyone else and they'd die pretty quickly, thus making their chance of escaping much lower.

As luck would have it, one of the armoured hunters did appear. The bulky armour was hard to miss even in the low lighting of the sub-level, the folded red weapon on her back making her intentions clear. "Make this easy," the cold and distorted voice spoke, "just submit yourself to us Jaune."

She knew that Nihilus was Jaune? That raised a few questions, but they'd have to wait for another time. Pyrrha subtly waved her hand towards the huntress, trying to let the woman know that she and Jaune needed a distraction to escape. This was their best bet; when the huntress helped them she and Jaune could finally be free of Nihilus, and then the huntress could defeat him and send him to prison.

The helmeted head of the huntress briefly turned to stare at Pyrrha, the dull black faceplate giving away nothing at all. The moment passed quickly however, the huntress turning back to look at the still madly grinning form of Nihilus.

"Submit?" the robed man asked, tasting the word, "No no no… you give _me_ the chance to choose?" The grin that had been so prominent on his face slipped away like oil over water, a furious snarl locking into place. "I was the monster, the Gleam Eyes! But what was she? A little girl, _MY DAUGHTER_ … you didn't give _her_ a choice! You became hollow, and for what?! This… this SHADOW?!"

The huntress drew her weapon from the small of her back, chipped red paint covering the rifle. In the low light Pyrrha couldn't quite make out what exactly it was, though she could tell it was some kind of sniper rifle and that it obviously transformed into something else - though what exactly, she couldn't tell.

"I'm sorry," the armoured woman whispered, "I… she wasn't meant to be there. It was only meant to be you and Pyrrha… I didn't even know she existed…"

Nihilus snarled, his pale face twisting hatefully. "I took my revenge, and made them all _burn!_ " he stepped closer to the armoured woman, and for a moment Pyrrha was sure that she was going to shoot him, but something held her back… "All but you. I know you, I know that you hate yourself - your soul cannot lie."

The woman raised her red rifle, the weapon pointed squarely between Nihilus' eyes. "I do, but I made a promise - to avenge my father, to avenge my uncle, to avenge Amity… to avenge Yang!"

 _BANG!_

The red rifle snapped back with thunderous recoil, the huge bullet slamming into Nihilus' forehead with enough force to turn his head into a paste if not for aura.

Nihilus' head was thrown backwards. But instead of a grunt of pain or a howl of anger like Pyrrha expected, deep laughter exploded out of the robed man's mouth, belly-shaking laughs of utter amusement so strong that the huntress seemed rooted to the spot.

"How?" she whispered, "Your aura… the bullet…" she seemed to stagger, "I don't understand… what have you done, Jaune?"

"Look at me!" Nihilus cackled with insane glee, "Jaune is dead! I am the Lord of Pain, Sorrow and Hunger. I took the body of Pain and made him mine! I took the soul of Sorrow and bound him to me! The world made me!"

The huntress shook, "Ironwood…" she muttered, "Ozpin…"

Pyrrha had absolutely no idea what either of them were talking about, and frankly she didn't particularly care at this point. Desperately, she signalled to the huntress again; they needed to escape, not have a conversation!

The helmeted woman didn't turn to acknowledge her though. "I understand now. I cannot beat you, not alone…" despite her defeatist words, the voice of the huntress only grew stronger. "But… I can do this!"

In a blur of motion that Pyrrha could hardly follow the huntress raised her rifle again, and in a millionth of a second she took aim and pulled the trigger.

Only this time, she wasn't aiming for Nihilus.

 _BANG!_

The powerful shot echoed through the hall just like before, but this time it was followed by a scream of pain as the round found its mark.

Pyrrha could only gape in shock as Jaune moaned in agony from the high-caliber bullet hole in his shoulder. Why hadn't his aura protected him? No bullet from a gun that small should be able to pierce aura so easily, the round should have been stopped before it even touched Jaune's skin. But despite that, it looked like the bullet had passed right through his shoulder and impacted the stone wall behind him.

Nihilus didn't even glance backwards before he howled in anger, a gust of flame escaping his mouth as he did so. In the blink an eye the false lord fell upon the huntress, his hands scraping and clawing at her armour in a vicious frenzy as he shouted obscenities at her.

Despite her slight aversion to Jaune, Pyrrha quickly moved over to him and looked at the wound in his shoulder. The bullet had indeed passed right through, though how exactly it managed that was a mystery. Jaune was struggling and moaning as he used his now blood-smeared right hand to put pressure on the wound, though his attempts were only making it worse since he was just covering one side of the injury. "Jaune," she muttered, trying to ignore the sound of Nihilus' angry shouts. "Stay still, let me bandage it!"

It wasn't like he'd bleed out from the wound, but if left untreated then it might get infected - or worse, Jaune could exacerbate the wound with his clawing attempts to put pressure on it. Pyrrha didn't exactly have any bandages on her, but she did have the red sash that she wore around her hip. It was a gift from her father; it would be a shame to ruin it like this, but it was red anyway - so it would just get redder, right?

Pyrrha reached down to her hip, her hand only an inch away from grabbing the red fabric.

Something clamped down on her wrist like a vice, the immense pressure instantly making her wince and stop exactly where she was.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, Pyrrha let her emerald-green eyes drift to whatever it was that had gotten hold of her. A pale hand graced her sight, the cold white skin of Nihilus striking fear into her heart.

Was this her death? Nihilus sucked people's souls out through his hands, and he'd already gotten a hold of her…

But Pyrrha didn't feel death tugging at her though, she actually felt… better?

The realisation snapped through her; she _didn't_ feel anything! The oppressive weight that had haunted her since she'd met Nihilus in Forever Fall was gone; her aura wasn't being drained away at all...

Pyrrha's gaze snapped to Nihilus' face, wanting - begging for an explanation. Not that she was complaining exactly, but it was just a surprise - her time with the false lord had shown her that his semblance was all encompassing, never faltering and utterly unstoppable.

When her gaze found his face, Pyrrha nearly staggered in shock. He looked so… different! And all from such a small change, too; his golden gaze was gone, the yellow-eyed stare that she was so used to. Instead she found herself looking at two pale _blue_ eyes, clearly blind.

"We need to go!" he snapped, his blind blue eyes staring at her unblinkingly. "Now!"

Pyrrha felt her green eyes snap to the other side of the room; the huntress was there, struggling in vain to pull herself out of a crater in the wall, the fallen stone and masonry having pinned her there from some unknown attack by Nihilus.

The false lord reached out with his free hand, the pale limb locking down on the back of Jaune's now tattered and ragged hoodie. "Come with me Usurper, we're leaving!"

With just a stomp of his foot there was a thunderous crack, and the previously patchy fix on what Pyrrha could only assume was a hole in the ceiling shattered and fell away - sunlight from the surface pouring in less than a moment later.

Pyrrha felt herself be yanked off her feet, only dully noting that Jaune was in a similar position to herself as they were dragged skyward.

"You can't run forever, Jaune!" the huntress yelled, fury and sorrow bleeding into her words. "Someday you'll be caught!"

Nihilus didn't say anything, his pale blue eyes locked skyward as they ascended.

Pyrrha felt her weight shift, her wrist aching as Nihilus passed through the hole in the roof and burst through to the surface.

But Pyrrha only had a second to register that Beacon Tower was literally right next to them, and suddenly the world shattered.

All noise faded, everything becoming dull and distant until they were beyond Pyrrha's perception. The image of Beacon and the clear blue sky vanished too, the world around them becoming a pure, unblemished white. Even Nihilus disappeared, everything leaving until absolutely nothing remained.

Pyrrha recognized this; it was the same as what happened in the tunnel when they first arrived in the other world. "Hello?" she shouted, ignoring Jaune as he sat next to her, a dazed look on his face as he observed his apparently healed shoulder. "Nihilus! Where are you?!"

This was good; the memory, fragment, whatever… could explain what the hell was going on, and what on Remnant Nihilus did to Jaune to make him a murderer.

A quiet feminine giggle from behind her made Pyrrha whirl around.

There he was, the Jaune lookalike sitting in an overstuffed lounge chair as he bounced a little girl on his knee, a joyous smile splitting across his face.

For a second, Pyrrha thought the little girl was just a younger version of herself, an image or phantasm perhaps. But that thought was shattered as she saw the girl's eyes, the two gorgeous violet eyes that looked at the not-Jaune with nothing but love. "Nihilus?"

The man's gaze finally wandered over to Pyrrha, a vaguely amused look on his face. "Hello again Pyrrha and Jaune," he proclaimed, "we have a lot to talk about."

* * *

 **Beacon, many years ago.**

Ruby was excited.

No, scratch that. She was _super_ excited!

It had been a week since team RWBY plus Jaune fought Torchwick, and since then things had admittedly been on the dull side of things. But today was going to be great! Professor Goodwitch had finally realised just how badass Pyrrha was, and had decided to stop wasting the champion's time by making her fight single opponents. Instead, Goodwitch had decided to make Pyrrha fight an entire _team_.

She and the rest of her team were currently walking towards the class now, Yang looking just as interested as Ruby herself was. Weiss and Blake were still excited, but they were being all stiff and aloof as per usual. Gah, didn't they know how _awesome_ this was going to be?!

The news had been floating around the school for about two days now, and everyone in the first year combat class was super psyched to watch the fight. Ruby herself was looking forward to it; not only because Pyrrha was a total beast in a fight, but because it was _Jaune's_ team she was going to be fighting.

Jaune was totally awesome. He was her first friend at Beacon, a nice dude and totally great in a fight! Well, he was now anyway. There was that… accident during initiation that had left him some pretty nasty scars on his face, but when she had finally worked up the courage to ask him about it, Jaune had just said that he had been a total idiot and forgotten to bring his Dust!

Ruby could totally empathise with that. Not that she'd ever forgotten to bring her baby Crescent Rose to something as important as initiation, but she had… on occasion… forgotten to bring ammo. Totally embarrassing to admit, so she had devised a completely foolproof plan should she do it again: claim that she had plenty of bullets, but just say that she was working on technique with her scythe.

But Jaune was a bit funny like that, kind of just floating around school doing his own thing all the time. He was still great to hang around though; he gave the best advice when she was feeling a little down or upset, and he was totally awesome in a fight too.

Fighting him was actually kinda hard. When sparring Jaune attempting a sneak attack was totally pointless, something about him being able to see in every direction all the time despite the fact that he wore that green bandanna around his eyes. It was also hard to deal with how he used Dust, because he tended to just set everything around him on fire or just pin his opponents to the ground using gravity Dust.

Once you got past all that he was a total pushover though, if you managed to close the distance without being cooked in the process then it was pretty simple.

He was a little strange with Dust too; unlike Weiss and the other students that used lots of Dust, Jaune didn't use a weapon or anything to help him - even stranger considering that Ruby _knew_ he had a sword. What had he called it again? Crochet Needle or something, but a sword nonetheless. But he didn't use it, he just waved his hands around like a wizard and _poof_ there was fire!

Actually, maybe she should ask Weiss about it? She was a total know-it-all about Dust and… well, everything really. But she would be able to better explain the difference right?

"Weiss," Ruby chirped, stepping up beside the pale girl. "You're good with Dust, right?"

"What do you mean 'good with Dust'?" the other girl barked, a slightly indignant look on her face. "I'm a Schnee! Dust is literally the reason why my family is so rich."

Well… yeah, but having money doesn't really buy skill. "So how good do you think Jaune is with Dust?"

Blake and Yang slowed down as Ruby asked the question; obviously they were interested too. And why wouldn't they be? Jaune had been a great help to them, both at the docks and when fighting Torchwick in that paladin. It was just an added bonus that he was such a nice guy!

"He uses Dust like a club," Weiss scoffed, her opinion obviously differing from Ruby's. "For him destruction is his aim, to smash through anything in his path with raw power but no actual skill."

Wow… that was harsh. Also not exactly untrue now that Ruby thought about it. Every time Ruby had seen Jaune fight, he hadn't really cared about the level of chaos he created around him, and when he attacked each move was made to obliterate whomever he was fighting. Which was actually a strange dichotomy with his rather laid back and chill personality, now that she thought about it.

"He's not exactly the most graceful of fighters," Blake agreed mildly, "but even you can't deny the raw power and destructive force he brings into a fight, Weiss."

"Perhaps," the heiress muttered as they neared the doors to the combat classroom. "But he still shows a clear lack of control over the immense power of Dust."

Ruby was silent as she led her teammates to their usual seats; Jaune wasn't as bad as Weiss liked to portray him, though she was right in the sense that he fought in a very destructive manner. Maybe Weiss was just snippy because she didn't like the idea of a Dust-mage using Dust in a different way than she did? It wasn't impossible; the theory made even more sense because Weiss liked to use Dust like a scalpel, all finesse and well-placed strikes that minimised her aura use.

"Come on Weiss-cream," Yang grinned, not caring in the slightest for Weiss' indignant squawk at the stupid pun. "Just admit that you're upset because he's better with Dust than you!"

Ruby grinned at that; of course Yang knew that wasn't true, but it was fun irritating Weiss. Seriously, the pale girl could stand to loosen up a little…

"He is not!" Weiss barked, a distinctly unfeminine snarl on her pretty face. "He just batters his way through everything!" She pointed to Yang, "Just like you, brute."

Yang chuckled as all the other students around them started sitting down, Pyrrha and team WASB noticeably absent. "Ah don't be all upset princess, if you ask nicely I'm sure the lady killer will show you a good time with his gravity Dust just like he did with me the other week!"

Ruby cringed at that… Yang still didn't know what exactly would have happened if Jaune screwed that up. When Ruby had spoken to him about it after the fight, the blind boy had seemed to be slightly nervous and apologetic about the end of the fight. She hadn't exactly understood, but then Jaune explained that if he messed up with the gravity Dust then Yang could have been seriously hurt - the type of hurt where you have literally crapped out your own spine and most internal organs.

Yeah… best Yang didn't know about that one. Just let the older girl go on thinking that Jaune _totally_ had that…

The sound of a throat clearing lulled the room into instant silence, the power of the fear that Professor Goodwitch commanded showing through as the elder woman took her place in the centre of the room. "Today we will be having a special match," she announced, "Miss Nikos will be showcasing her skills by fighting the entirety of team WASB."

Ruby couldn't help but squeal in excitement. This was going to be so awesome...

The team in question entered the side of the ring, the four males standing tall and imposingly. The leader, Cardin, had an arrogant smirk on his face as he stared across the arena to where Pyrrha made her way out. Sky and Dove had confidant smiles on their faces - not arrogant like their leader, but just quietly faithful in their abilities.

Jaune was the dichotomy of the team, as his face was kept absolutely blank. The scars on his face only mildly covered by the soft cloth he used to cover his eyes, his countenance neither that of confidence or anxiousness.

"Are all the combatants ready?" Goodwitch asked.

"We're ready," Cardin scoffed, his mace held over his shoulder.

Pyrrha just nodded, her sword and shield held ready.

"Begin!"

The fight started explosively. The moment the professor called to start, Jaune slammed his hands down into the tiled floor, an impressive wall of stone sprouting between his team and Pyrrha.

Ruby could understand why Jaune did this; Pyrrha was a total beast in close quarters. Although the use of the wall was also negated by the fact that Pyrrha was, again, a total beast at range too.

Pyrrha dashed forward, her sword shifting to a spear in an instant as she crossed the arena.

"Fire!" Cardin barked quickly, looking all the part of a commander leading his troops.

Sky and Dove perched their weapons on the wall, the gun barrels built into the sword and halberd blaring into life as short and sharp cracks rang out each time they fired their respective weapons.

Jaune, not having a gun, opted for a different approach however. With a small grunt he punched his stony creation; a fist-sized chunk broke off and rocketed towards Pyrrha.

Ruby couldn't help but grin though; Pyrrha definitely wouldn't be taken out by such a lame attack.

As expected, Pyrrha blocked the plethora of attacks with relative ease. Her dipylon shield flashed as she punted the bullets and stones out of her way, the metal ringing quietly from the attack. In a flash Pyrrha leapt over the hasty barricade, her spear pointed downwards in the perfect position to stab Cardin in the heart.

Cardin was, luckily, wearing armour - so as the spear crashed into his chest the effect on his aura was fairly minimal compared to what such an attack would have done to anyone on RWBY.

The large boy was punted backwards with a grunt, but Pyrrha didn't have time to continue the offensive as she suddenly found a sword speeding towards her left side courtesy of Dove. What would have a been relatively easy thing to block was made infinitely harder as Sky swung his halberd to her legs - together effectively forcing her to choose which to block and which to take with her aura.

Pyrrha, being the champion that she was of course, chose neither of these options. In a feat of acrobatics that Ruby could say with absolute surety would rip her in half, Pyrrha jumped in the air and kicked Sky in the face _while_ _also_ slashing Dove across the chest with Milo.

The two boys staggered backwards, their auras taking a downwards dive from Pyrrha's brutal assault.

The redheaded champion landed on her feet in a guard position directed towards Jaune… who was doing nothing?

Ruby wasn't quite sure, but it looked like Jaune was just standing there. He had jumped over to the other side of his makeshift stone wall and was just _watching_ as his teammates were decimated. If it weren't for the fact that his hands were still and his face tightened into a curious expression, Ruby might have guessed that he was preparing some kind of Dust attack.

Pyrrha seemed confused over his actions - or lack thereof - as well, but she didn't have time to do much about it since Cardin suddenly made his presence known once more with a mighty swing of his mace.

As expected of someone of Pyrrha's skill, the Spartan girl swept the attack to the side with ease and swung her sword across Cardin's face in retaliation. The man grunted, but didn't have time to do much else as he suddenly found Pyrrha's spear wrapped around his throat in a choke-hold.

Sky leapt forwards to help his leader, his halberd thrusting sharply with the intent to wound. Pyrrha was too fast, however; in a single motion she spun around and used Cardin as a human shield - Sky's halberd jammed into his leader's gut.

With ease that showed years of training, Pyrrha hurled Cardin over her head and slammed him into the ground - his aura plummeting into the red and ending his role in the fight.

And yet still Jaune stood behind his stone wall, a small pleased smile working its way onto his ugly face. What was he doing? Why wasn't he helping his teammates? Ruby knew that Cardin and the others were kinda tools yeah, but to abandon them in a fight? That was a bit harsh.

Ruby blinked as the buzzer went off again, looks like Sky was out of the fight now as well - his face having taken a harsh shield bash that sent him tumbling arse over kettle away from the fight.

Only Dove and Jaune remained of team WASB now; Dove looked equal parts furious that Jaune wasn't helping and terrified that he was to be the next one of Pyrrha's victims.

That prediction quickly proved true as he tried - in vain - to fend off a flurry of stabs and slashes from the redheaded champion.

However, Ruby's attention was quickly drawn away from Dove's impending defeat. Jaune was… _undressing_?!

"What is he doing?" Weiss muttered from next to Ruby, the Schnee's brow furrowed in confusion.

No… no, he was taking off his armour! With a sly grin splitting his maimed face, Jaune unbuckled his breastplate as Dove was decimated on the other side of the arena.

The buzzer rang out; Dove was finished, now it was just Jaune and Pyrrha.

With his breastplate in hand Jaune grinned at Pyrrha, his scarred face twisting in ways that looked… unhealthy.

"I worked it out," he said casually.

Worked what out? Ruby didn't know exactly, but maybe he just worked out that he had totally screwed himself? Fighting Pyrrha alone was pretty silly of him…

Pyrrha's emerald-green eyes widened for a moment, but before she had the chance to say anything she suddenly found Jaune hurling bits of his armour at her; first the breastplate, then went the pauldrons, and finally the small wrist guards were thrown. Pyrrha blocked it all of course, but the startled expression on her face said it all. Jaune was onto something. What exactly Ruby didn't know, but whatever he was getting at was obviously making the Spartan girl nervous.

"Jaune," Pyrrha started, "you-"

Ruby couldn't help but be a little impressed as Jaune became a literal blur - just like how he looked when he was running on the highway. Ruby also couldn't help but be impressed as Jaune's fist smashed into Pyrrha's face with what Ruby could only guess was several hundred kilos of force.

Pyrrha yelped, but even that was cut off by another punch to her face - this time it actually took her off the ground and threw her backwards.

Jaune smirked as he cracked his knuckles, his grin slowly widening as he leant against his wall.

What Jaune did was pretty amazing, even more so considering that none of his teammates had been able to land a blow against Pyrrha before they were taken out.

Pyrrha leapt back to her feet, a slightly dazed expression on her face as she stared at the now armourless, smirking Jaune.

But that didn't stop her; in a flurry of movement she dashed towards Jaune with her sword poised to stab him in his now unarmoured chest.

Apparently that was a mistake. Jaune only smirked, and with a twitch of his fingers the ground at his feet exploded and he was propelled on top of his makeshift wall, while Pyrrha caught a faceful of shrapnel from the ground.

Why was Pyrrha suddenly so much less effective? Against the other three members of the team she didn't struggle at all, but against Jaune she suddenly found herself being pushed around? Ruby wasn't so sure, but something didn't seem right…

"He's fighting clever," Blake muttered from nearby, the comment earning a small nod from Weiss.

Regardless of her slowly lowering aura, Pyrrha leapt up onto the wall to attack Jaune-

Which was apparently another mistake on her part. Just barely, Jaune managed to slide out of the way of the initial attack, but as soon as Pyrrha's feet connected with the raised stone platform it… crumpled? Shattered?

"He still had control over the Dust," Weiss muttered for Ruby's benefit, "He must have willed it to disintegrate at the slightest touch…"

The stone that Jaune had been standing on only moments ago crumpled into powder under Pyrrha's weight; the Spartan yelped as she lost her balance, her whole body being thrown backwards. But Pyrrha wasn't a pushover; in a move that Ruby was sure she'd never be able to do herself, Pyrrha lashed out with her arms and dragged Jaune over the wall with her - bodily throwing the two of them behind the wall and out of all the students' line of sight.

Obviously Professor Goodwitch could still see them though, as she let the match continue without interruption.

The monitor above the arena was the only thing the students had to see how things were going, Pyrrha's aura lowered to 83% as Jaune's took a sharp dive to 51% in an instant.

A pained yelp echoed out through the hall, and not a moment later the stone wall shattered as Jaune was hurled _through_ it - his body tumbling and smashing against the ground until he came to a stop on the far side of the arena.

Jaune's aura had taken another dive, hovering just above the red zone at 18% as he staggered to his feet.

Pyrrha stepped through the hole in the wall, her hair now slightly messy from the fight. But she didn't seem fazed in the slightest. Instead she seemed… excited? Exhilarated? Her green eyes were narrowed with determination as she looked at her opponent across the ring from her.

"This is hardcore," Yang cheered, "Vomit boy is a total badass!"

Ruby hummed her agreement, Jaune was pretty cool. Cool enough to lend a hand when they were at the docks and when they were fighting Torchwick, and he was a great friend too. Weiss and Blake must have thought Jaune was pretty okay too; he was the only person outside of RWBY that they actively bothered speaking to outside of mealtime and class.

Apparently the other students watching must think Jaune is pretty kickass too, since they were all cheering for him as he staggered to his feet in the arena with a smattering of stone covering his clothes.

Jaune spat some dirt out of his mouth, his face twisting in distaste as he did so. "I forfeit," he announced to the great dismay of all the onlookers. "I know when I've lost…"

What? Nooooo…. This fight was awesome! Sure he had practically no chance of winning at this point, but he could still do an epic last attempt right?

But alas, that was not to be. Professor Goodwitch stepped into the ring as the shield around the onlookers faded away. "Excellent work, Miss Nikos, The stern elder woman informed Pyrrha, the rare nugget of praise slipping from her mouth before she turned her scathing gaze to the battered members of WASB. "You four need to work on your teamwork - especially you Mr. Arc, the most powerful member of the team is worthless if you just stand there and watch as your teammates are defeated."

Jaune looked slightly sheepish at that, and he let out a weak laugh as the other three males of the team glared at him. "Ah…" he breathed, "Sure thing, Professor…"

Ruby couldn't help but smile. Jaune was awesome!

 **A/N**

 **Ruby said some interesting things in the first half of this chapter, don't you think? Also interesting that Nihilus freely admits (however indirectly) that he has three, in his words, Lord Souls. Three of the four lords are part of Nihilus… whoever could he be talking about? He wasn't exactly subtle about it, so take a guess. Also interesting to note that Ruby acknowledged that she never knew about Nihilus' daughter. She never intended to kill her, only Pyrrha.**

 **As for young Nihilus in the second half of the chapter, he finally worked out Pyrrha's semblance - which he did actually take note of (without understanding) back when he fought her in Birth of Hatred.**

 **That aside, the reviews:**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **It wasn't exactly a planned meeting, but alternate Ruby seemed to get through it well enough I'd say.**

 **Jaune has got quite the bloody stain on him now doesn't he? Sure he wasn't in total control, but that wouldn't do much to comfort the families of the dozens he just murdered would it?**

 **How to answer that without giving anything away? That ring is poisonous, and is a part of Jaune now too - like a cancer really. When directly using it the effect is pretty obvious, but it runs far deeper than mere anger and hate. That ring will always be part of Jaune now, never to be removed or destroyed bar Nihilus himself doing some pretty twisted things to... untangle it from Jaune.**

 **And that is about as clear as I can make my answer without giving out spoilers.**

 **Death-The-Horsemen:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
Yes, this was one of my better ones I think. I will endeavour to keep it to this standard.**

 **FractiousDay:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **All of which are very valid things to be confused over. Let's see if I can clear it up at all:**

 **Anything that carries the initial title in bold saying 'many years ago...' will be telling the story of how Nihilus became what he is - about 12 ish years prior to Nihilus' first appearance in chapter 1.**  
 **Random stuff is only random to the reader since you don't know the full extent of Nihilus' history (such is why that is being explored in detail with the 'many years ago...' segments). But interestingly enough if one were have read the entire history of Nihilus (including what I haven't actually written yet) then they would notice that not only does it all make sense (in a twisted, circular sort of way) but Nihilus himself hasn't actually lied or said anything but the truth since his arrival in chapter 1.**

 **The Rift is tricky, in a terrible paradoxical kind of way. There is only 1 Rift - not to each world, but only 1 that spans everything. Nihilus just... bent it's direction to send him somewhere he could escape from things.**

 **COOLER:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I try.**

 **Sadly both Nihilus and Ruby are pretty justified their hatred for each other - both having killed the others family. Both of them are lashing out in hurt and anger, but not unreasonably.**

 **Pyrrha will understand, eventually.**

 **Ruby, Red, killing Jaune is the only way she can see things ending differently from things in her world. Pyrrha going berserk would be terrible for sure, but she could never be an extinction level threat like Nihilus is. In part it's the assumption that Pyrrha will never even hold a shadow of the power Nihilus does, but it also comes down to RWB(Y) assuming that Pyrrha could never snap quite as badly as Jaune (Nihilus) did.**

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! Remember to leave a review!**


	18. Bloody Remembrance

Wraith

Chapter Eighteen

Beta: Smithrooks

Bloody Remembrance

 **Unknown, present day…**

Jaune stared at the two apparitions before him. The 'fragment' of the original Nihilus, and the little girl… why was she here? She had been the one to snap him out of the murderous rage that drove him to kill so many people, and even now she looked at him with such sorrow in her exquisite purple eyes.

Beside him, Pyrrha gaped at the girl, and Jaune could well understand why. Obviously Pyrrha had never seen her before, but add to the fact that the girl looked exactly like a younger version of Pyrrha herself? Yeah, that would be rather disconcerting… especially since the memory of Nihilus was literally bouncing the girl on his knee with a fond expression on his face.

"Hello again, Pyrrha and Jaune," the phantasm of Nihilus proclaimed cheerily, "we have a lot to talk about."

Perhaps they did, but Jaune didn't want to hear it. He was a murderer now, he just wanted to crawl into a hole somewhere and die for what he did. All those people, all those lives… just snuffed out in an instant…

"Who…" Pyrrha gasped, her emerald eyes locked onto the little girl. "Who are you? Why are you here?"

"Now, now, Pyrrha," the memory tittered, "is that any way to greet your daughter?"

Well, that basically confirmed it then. The girl was his daughter, with Pyrrha as the mother too… that might make things awkward.

Pyrrha didn't say anything, her mouth opening and closing as she fought to choke out _anything_ to say in the face of such a confusing statement.

But apparently the memory of Nihilus didn't seem too keen on letting Pyrrha take her time to work through the shock. "Yeah, I know. She's amazing, right?" the little girl waved cheerily from atop her father's lap as Nihilus spoke, "But I'm afraid we don't exactly have much time, so we need to keep this quick, yeah?"

"Why did you bring us here?" Jaune muttered finally. He was just so _tired_ , when had things become so complicated?

"To explain some stuff, Daddy!" the little girl smiled, extracting herself from Nihilus' lap in favour of moving over to Jaune.

Small arms attempted to wrap around Jaune's broad shoulders, but they couldn't quite get all the way around despite the girl's best efforts as she seemingly tried to hug her 'father' to death.

But Jaune didn't return the embrace. Despite what she - and the fragment apparently - seemed to think, she wasn't his daughter. She was Nihilus' daughter, Nihilus' _dead_ daughter. "No," Jaune whispered as he pushed the girl away from him, "just… just don't… please…"

It was all he could muster up. He just felt too dead inside, too disgusted with himself to even entertain the idea of humouring the little girl.

The girl had a crushing look of despair on her face, but even then Jaune didn't feel that it was his problem. She wanted comfort? She could find it somewhere else. Not with him, not with a monster...

"I- I don't understand."

Thankfully Pyrrha broke Jaune out of his truthful, if depressing, thoughts. She was good like that, too good for him…

The little girl rushed up to Pyrrha, practically leaping into her not-mother's arms as the words tumbled out of her small mouth. "I'm Violet Arc and my daddy is sad and-"

"Dear," the fragment interrupted, "I'm sorry, but we don't have much time. So just let Daddy explain it, yeah?"

The girl pouted from her position in the confused Pyrrha's arms, but she stayed silent.

Nihilus, or the fragment of him, stood up and smiled widely. "To cut an extremely long story short, the Pyrrha Nikos of my world and I had a daughter - the very girl you are holding - but then through a series of events that would take several thousand words to put into detail, both Pyrrha and dear Violet here were assassinated a few years prior to Nihilus arriving in your world. Got it?"

Jaune got the gist of it, but Pyrrha looked dizzy at the information being thrown in her face. Her emerald eyes drifted to the smiling face of the not-daughter in her arms. "I… you're our daughter?" the champion asked faintly. "Who… killed us?"

"That's not important right now," the fragment cut off before young Violet could say anything, "I can only sustain this for a short period of time, so I'm afraid that we need to get right down to business."

"What business?" Jaune groaned. Why couldn't anything be easy? Less than a week ago, he'd been lazing around the house preparing for his chance to sneak out - easy stuff compared to all this crap… "What are you talking about?"

"You," the fragment looked downwards, his blue gaze locking onto Jaune's right hand. "Or more specifically, _that_."

Jaune raised his right hand slowly, everyone's gaze following the limb with thinly veiled interest and disgust as the ring on his middle finger became clear. It looked _wrong_ ; the metal band didn't look the same as it normally was, instead the silver seemed tarnished and almost looked like it oozed a thick black miasma.

"When Nihilus gave you that, he did something unnatural," the fragment muttered, idly catching Violet as she jumped back into his arms with a whimper of disgust. "Everything about that ring is _wrong_."

"Nihilus gave you that?" Pyrrha questioned suddenly, her eyes boring into Jaune. "Why would he do that?"

"I… I asked for the power to help you fight," Jaune whispered, "I didn't want to be useless…"

"Quite," the cheery fragment exclaimed. "And the ring is literally that - pure power."

Jaune's gaze narrowed on his counterpart. "No! This… this _thing_ is an abomination!"

Truer words have never been spoken. Jaune had tried to throw the ring away in disgust after his… episode… but the infuriating thing wouldn't budge from his finger - it was like it was fused there.

"Oh, for sure," the elder Arc agreed easily. "But with that ring and enough fire Dust, you could burn down entire cities. The problem lies in how it gives you that power."

"What does it do?" Pyrrha questioned quietly, her face twisting uncomfortably.

"That ring contains everything Nihilus knows about using fire Dust - which is literally three life times of information." Violet whimpered as her father mentioned the last part, her face twisting uncomfortably even as she cuddled closer into the fragment - though Jaune couldn't exactly blame her, he felt pretty disgusted himself. "You have to understand," the memory hedged, "something like that shouldn't be - _isn't -_ possible unless you delve into some pretty messed up stuff."

There was a moment of silence, both Jaune and Pyrrha feeling the icy claws of dread slowly creeping up on them as the memory grew uncomfortable.

The memory of Nihilus fidgeted uncomfortably, "Memories are tricky business; memory itself is stored in the brain, but the emotion behind it is part of the soul…"

"What are you saying?" Jaune whispered, his mind slowly catching on to what the fragment was saying.

"That ring is _poisonous,_ " Violet practically screeched, her angry words at odds with her previous cheer. "It's wrong and bad and evil! My daddy was never like that! He wouldn't-"

"Hush darling," the fragment whispered as he drew his daughter closer, "it's okay, we can still fix this. Just let me explain…" his blue-eyed gaze drifted back to the two young hunters watching. "That ring is like me, a fragment of memory - except there is no specific memory, it is emotion in its purest and most unrestrained form."

Both Jaune and Pyrrha knew what emotion it was, how could they not? Jaune had felt the unnatural shift in his entire being the moment he tapped into the ring's power, and Pyrrha had seen it twist him into a murderous beast with just a single snap of his fingers.

"Hatred," the memory whispered. "Pure, unrelenting hatred. The very same hate that keeps Nihilus bound to the mortal coil now, enough rage to set the world on fire…"

"How do we remove it?" Pyrrha demanded, her normally polite demeanour taking a backseat.

The fragment didn't answer; his blue-eyed gaze averted as he held his daughter closer.

"We can't," Jaune whispered, "can we? The first time I used it… it became a part of me, didn't it?"

The other Jaune nodded wordlessly.

Neither Jaune nor Pyrrha had anything they could say after that. What could they say? Jaune had been… corrupted. God, how had things gone so wrong? Just a few days ago Jaune had been waiting for Beacon to start, his hopes soaring sky-high as he prepared to start the life of a huntsman. But now? Now he was a murderer, a freak - even his very _soul_ had been poisoned by Nihilus…

"You have to go now," the fragment suddenly announced, his eyes locking onto his younger counterpart once more. "I fear that Nihilus will discover us if you stay… and you don't want that."

Jaune opened his mouth to speak, but no words escaped him as the world suddenly shattered into thousands of glittering fragments. A terrible and depressingly familiar pain in his shoulder speared through his senses. With a start, he realised he was being dragged through the air, once again trapped under Nihilus' crushing strength as the false lord spirited them away from Beacon.

* * *

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

Pyrrha was alone in her room, and she hated it.

Pyrrha liked to think she was a pretty humble person, despite her abilities and achievements. And if she had the chance to re-do her life, she wouldn't stop herself from fighting in those tournaments - they helped shape her into the person she is today, after all. What she hated, however, was the impossible pedestal that she had been placed upon by everyone around her.

Before coming to Beacon, she had all of two friends in the world - but that wasn't much of an achievement, considering that the friends in question were actually her parents. Make no mistake, she loved her mother and father dearly, and she wouldn't trade them for the world, but everyone needs someone they can call a friend right?

That was easily one of the main reasons she chose to come to Beacon; because it was literally a world away from Mistral and her adoring fans.

Or so she had thought, anyway.

It had only taken about two or three hours for Pyrrha to be singled out once again, because who would speak to her? Obviously she had better things to do than socialise with the masses around her!

On the second day, things had started about the same; only two people dared approach her. The first was Weiss Schnee; talented, skilled, intelligent and would doubtlessly make a fine huntress… but she was also a fan. Pyrrha had tried to be polite of course - because manners were important - but the Atlesian girl had been supremely unsubtle when she tried to recruit Pyrrha for her team. Not befriend, recruit. As if Pyrrha was just a sword to be used.

That hadn't exactly endeared the heiress to Pyrrha, as she later made it a point to avoid Weiss in initiation.

But then _Jaune_ had come along and practically rescued her from Weiss' ham-fisted attempts to rig the game. Jaune hadn't even recognised her! When Weiss had irritatingly listed off some of Pyrrha's achievements, all Jaune had said was _'good for her, I suppose?'_

That… had pretty much sold it for her.

Jaune was to be her partner, just on the fact that he didn't really know her reputation - unhealthy cereal aside.

Her plan had been simple; pin Jaune to a tree, get him as a partner and then come out of initiation smelling like roses.

Nothing in her life had ever backfired quite so badly as that plan. By the time Pyrrha had found where Jaune had been pinned, he was gone - and there was a great deal of blood covering her spear and the tree. Had something gone wrong? She'd heard screams, but at the time she had assumed that it was from the surprise of it…

As she tried to track the bloody trail, she had run across her later partner: Russel Thrush. A fan similar to Weiss… but that hadn't been important at the time. Jaune had been hurt, by her own weapon no less.

But… then she had found him in the ruins… there had been so much blood. She had burst into the clearing with her confused partner trailing behind her; Pyrrha got there just in time to see a large boy slam a Beowolf off of Jaune's fallen form. Jaune had survived of course, but at what cost? He had been maimed and blinded all in the space of about an hour.

Over the next few weeks, Pyrrha had been so distraught; Jaune was terrified of her, and rightfully so… but then things had gotten better. So much better. Forever Fall had been like food to a starving man for her, in one fell swoop half of her problems just vanished.

Jaune was… interesting. That was the best word to describe it. As she got to know him better, Pyrrha continually found herself being surprised by the blind boy. The way he acted and treated the world around him was just so… different! He was such a contrast to everyone else she had met in Vale, and that alone made him as good as gold in her eyes.

One of the best things about Jaune was actually his apathy. Not generally considered a great trait to have, but in this context Pyrrha couldn't help but be awed by it. Jaune _literally_ doesn't care what other people think of him - or at the very least he doesn't _show_ that he cares. People whisper and call him names behind his back? He doesn't care. People insult him and call him weak or ugly? He just smiles, as if enjoying a private joke only he knows about.

Pyrrha couldn't help but be slightly jealous of that. To live life unconcerned by the opinions of others sounded very… freeing.

She was so glad that they were friends now; the cold and lonely world that was her life always seemed to brighten up whenever Jaune was around. It wasn't a crush, not really. She still felt much too guilty over the events of initiation to even consider such a notion. But she really did consider Jaune to be her best friend.

All the better, considering that she had training with him in about five minutes. Those training sessions were always the highlight of her week, although she was still unsure why Jaune insisted that they train in the official training rooms and not just on the roof, which was much easier to gain access to compared to the hassles of booking an arena to use.

With a small smile on her face, Pyrrha stepped out of her room. Her other teammates were out and about somewhere doing their own things; currently she neither knew nor cared.

"Hey Pyrrha?"

The small voice behind her caused Pyrrha to stop and turn around. it was Ruby. "Hello Ruby," she greeted politely. Ruby had always been a nice girl, she had helped Pyrrha try to speak to Jaune just after his injury - and despite the miserable failure, the two of them had become friends. "How can I help you?"

The younger girl fidgeted on the spot, her folded up weapon shifting on her back as she did so. Actually, why did she have that? It was about 8 o'clock, and unless Ruby was expecting to find Grimm in the hallway then the only other reason could be that the younger girl wanted to train - which couldn't be possible considering that Pyrrha and Jaune had the hall booked for the night.

"So um… you're gonna go train with Jaune right?" the now positively tomato-coloured girl said quickly.

Pyrrha nodded, a small smile on her face as she began to see where this was heading.

"I was… um, hoping I could come too?"

Knew it. "Sure thing Ruby, you can come train with us."

The two of them set off towards the training hall quickly. For a few moments Ruby was silent as Pyrrha led the way, but apparently Ruby had something on her mind. "So, Pyrrha…" why was she blushing so much? God, Pyrrha hoped this wasn't going to be anything awkward… "Are you and Jaune… ah, together?"

"No!" Pyrrha exclaimed quickly, thankfully years of training for dealing with unexpected questions thanks to her fame let her contain the rising heat in her cheeks. "He and I are just friends…"

Where had Ruby even gotten that idea from? Sure, she and Jaune were good friends, but that was it. Nothing less and nothing more. Jaune was nice, but he was also… cold. If asked, then he would help just about anybody, but if not… well, then it wouldn't be his problem. Or so he claimed anyway. That, and the crushing guilt Pyrrha still felt whenever she got to look at his mangled face on the rare occasion he took off the bandanna covering his eyes. The way he stared… his eyes were blank of everything. He could smile, snarl, laugh, or cry - but his eyes would never change. They just sat there, cold and empty as the rest of his face twisted around them.

"Oh…" a small smile seemed to split across Ruby's face, "that's good."

The rest of the walk was a quiet one, though it was a comfortable silence. Maybe it was because of Ruby's obvious awkward nature, or maybe it was because Pyrrha didn't feel particularly bothered by the quiet, but neither of them spoke until they reached the training hall.

Pyrrha pushed the door open and was unsurprised to see Jaune already there and waiting. He was funny like that, how was he always so punctual when he couldn't read a clock?

But something was wrong. Normally, Jaune was enthusiastic and greeted Pyrrha with his own unique brand of subdued excitement… but even at a glance, Pyrrha could tell something was off about him tonight. The way he slouched on the benches, the downwards tilt of his head - something was eating at him.

"Hey guys," he said quietly, "I didn't know you were coming, Ruby?"

Could it be that? Pyrrha didn't think so, Ruby and Jaune usually got on grandly.

"Pyrrha said it would be okay if I joined you," the younger girl chirped, either not commenting on or not noticing Jaune's dour mood. "That's fine, right?"

The very forced smile that slipped over his face was somewhat telling, enough that even Ruby noticed it. Her face twisted, and she looked absolutely crushed all in the space of about a second. "I-If it's not okay I can just go-"

"No."

Jaune cut her off abruptly; his voice wasn't hard or sharp, just… serious. Not his usual apathy or mild awkwardness, just a calm seriousness that was so unlike the Jaune they knew.

"It's okay, you can stay." Jaune rose from his seated position, his long legs covering the distance between them with a few quick strides, "But… but before we start, I need to ask a favour of either of you."

Ruby brightened up immediately, the peppy little spirit that she was. But Pyrrha was more sedate than the younger girl; what exactly did Jaune want? If it was something easy then she would be happy to do it for him, but the way Jaune asked made it sound difficult or deeply personal.

"What is it?" Ruby questioned, her red cape dragging on the floor slightly as she bounced over to Jaune.

Reaching into his sleeve, Jaune produced a letter, the paper slightly crumpled from him stuffing it into the tight confines of his hoodie. Why would Jaune have a letter? It was kind of silly; it wasn't like he could read-

Oh.

Oh… that made sense. Jaune couldn't read. Apparently he was taking steps to learn braille, but that was slow going as far as Pyrrha knew. And whoever sent Jaune this letter must either be unaware of his… predicament, or have an exceptionally twisted sense of humour.

"I…" Jaune started, his voice timid and weak. "I got this letter, the guy at the post office said it was from John Arc - my father. But…" he waved his free hand in front of his face helplessly, "I can't…"

Ignoring the small stab of pity in her heart, Pyrrha gently took the piece of paper from his hand. "I'll read it to you… if you want?"

"Please…" Jaune whispered, his hands slightly shaky as he handed over the crumpled letter.

Ruby stood beside Jaune as Pyrrha drew the letter out of the envelope, the neat but still slightly scrawled handwriting easily covering the entire page as she pulled it free.

" _Hail and well met, my son,_ " Pyrrha read aloud. " _That you're able to read this means that not only are you still alive, but you are in Beacon just as I suspected. You are in grave danger, but that is the path you have chosen for yourself. I feel for you, I really do._ "

Pyrrha paused. What did he mean 'grave danger'? Surely nothing untoward could happen to them while they were at Beacon? And what did he mean 'still alive'? And that he _suspected_ that Jaune was at Beacon? Not that he _knew_? This was obviously deeply personal for Jaune if the deadly serious and slightly crushed expression on his face was anything to go by. She couldn't ask him about it, not now anyway… maybe when they knew each other a little better.

" _That said, the pain you are going to go through thanks to your reckless choice is necessary,_ " she continued, feeling a small stab of contempt as she read the words - what a cruel thing to say to a family member. " _But I dare not deny you the bit of inspiration it represents. Without it you cannot hope to carve out your destiny._ "

Destiny. It always came down to that, didn't it? She liked to think she knew what her destiny is, but did Jaune know his? Jaune's path was set out before him: become a hunter and protect those who could not protect themselves - but was that the same destiny that his father spoke of?

" _Now that you and I can communicate, we can marshal our resources properly. You have chosen, against my hopes for you, to be a hunter. This is a path of only misery and sacrifice, but perhaps we can make your journey not that of the worthless martyrs that most hunters end up being, but instead one of the rare few that survives the gauntlet thrown at you._ "

Such was the life of a hunter. Pyrrha knew the words she had just read aloud were true enough, and looking at Jaune's face told her that he knew too. But Ruby? Not a chance. Her faith and optimism hadn't been broken yet. That would come in time. It always did…

" _A hunter must walk with death, but a successful hunter must never accept its embrace. I learnt that as I watched my teammates die one by one over the span of years. Their deaths were violent and grisly - such is the nature of this world. In total honesty, you will never be able to save everyone. Maybe you can save yourself, but you must always remember: saving one person means choosing not to save another."_

Pyrrha's voice shook slightly as she read the words. They were cruel, but they were painfully honest too.

" _I remember I tried so hard to save my last remaining teammate. A bridge had collapsed and she was trapped on the other side of a gorge from me - tired and alone, she fought a horde of Grimm as I struggled to reach her in time. My desperate, ineffective bids to save her, the countless wounds inflicted upon myself as I climbed the sheer walls. All of that, for nothing. All I achieved was-"_ Pyrrha's hands shook slightly as she read on, the poor man… " _-the honour of watching my last friend be gored by a Boarbatusk."_

" _I know to label the death of my team as traumatic would be the epitome of understatement, believe me I do. The memory of seeing their lives ebb away haunts me still. But the pain it wrought can be wrought in turn to greater ends. It's what drove me to become the man I am today - and such sacrifice is what turns martyrs into survivors. I know that in terms of strength, you are somewhat… lacking - so trick yourself. Fool yourself into believing you are capable of anything you set your mind to, as confidence is the key."_

" _I have every faith that you understand, forge of tomorrow whatever you must to save your life. Deceive yourself in every last detail - deceive the world. Do this, and victory is assured. Best of luck to you, my son._ "

Pyrrha's voice ran silent as she finished the message, her emerald-green eyes never once leaving the terribly blank expression on Jaune's face as he sat in melancholy silence. Why was he not reacting? That letter… while it wasn't particularly world shattering, it was obviously deeply personal. Jaune's father sounded like a tortured soul… he sounded like he dreaded the thought of Jaune becoming a hunter, as if he had nothing to do with any of Jaune's training at all.

Maybe Jaune's mother had been the one to train Jaune then? That made a certain degree of sense, as hunters tended to marry other hunters.

"He's wrong."

Those two words snapped Pyrrha out of her thoughts, her mind closing back in on Jaune as he rose to his feet. "I don't care what he thinks," the blind boy snarled, but the expression was… all wrong. His face didn't twist in anger or hate, but instead… a smile? "I'm going to save everyone who needs help. I don't care if he thinks it's a fool's hope, but when I become a full hunter I will never stop until I save the world!"

Pyrrha could only stare, mouth agape as she looked at the blind boy. Even after hearing what his father had written him, Jaune still wanted to continue down this path? That… took serious courage.

"And I'll be there to help you," Ruby cheered, her face practically alight as she looked at Jaune.

It was impossible, a dream that could never come to pass… but Pyrrha couldn't help but feel a surge of elation. Maybe they couldn't save the world, maybe they couldn't save everyone who needed their help… but they could do as much as possible. "I'll be there, too," the champion finally announced, a small smile worming its way onto her face. "We can fight together."

Yes, together. Maybe they wouldn't save the world, but they could certainly make it a better place.

 **A/N**

 **And we all know how** _ **that**_ **turned out, don't we? Save the world indeed… Poor Nihilus, even he doesn't know how far he has fallen.**

 **So Jaune is forever stuck with that ring, nasty business. For those of you who didn't quite pick up on the implication of what the fragment said, let me clear it up for you: Nihilus split his soul and now that shard has bound itself to Jaune - permanently. Only one thing could possibly undo what Nihilus did, and that would be… problematic for everyone involved.**

 **And on that happy note, onto the reviews:**

 **spoony285:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
I can understand that, though this is somewhat intentional since everything is being seen by limited points of view - Jaune, Pyrrha, young Nihilus, and so on... the vast majority of things will become much clearer as soon as past Nihilus gets out of the Beacon Arc of his story, since from that point onwards things will accelerate quite quickly for him - even faster than the already disjointed pacing between past and present.**

 **I myself tend to enjoy mage/wizard classes more than that of a knight or the like, and I tried to make Jaune (Nihilus) take a step away from the conventional Jaune Arc most of the fandom seems to favour.**

 **thelastcenturion2015:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
Thank you! I do try my hardest with it, I hope you continue enjoying even through the... harsh... chapters ahead.**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **You asked about the ring a while ago if I recall; I hope this chapter cleared up a few things as to what exactly the ring was, and why it has the effect it does.**

 **COOLER:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I like to let people know that I appreciate their reviews, I feel it would be rude if I didn't. I enjoy making people really think about the stuff I write; I don't want to be one of those writers that has to explain every little detail and control absolutely everything - I want the reader to really be able to understand each character I use.**

* * *

 **As always, thank you all for reading and don't forget to leave a review!**


	19. Even Dead Gods Dream

Wraith

Chapter Nineteen

Beta: Smithrooks

Even Dead Gods Dream

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

Once upon a time, Jaune might have found this enjoyable.

But… now it was more of a slap in the face, really.

The school dance was in full swing and most everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, though Jaune himself just sat quietly off to the side with a cup of punch to keep him company. Before he may have joined in with all the dancing, but that wasn't something he was willing to try now. Disregarding his general ugliness, he didn't think he'd be able to dance like he used to…

That, and the general discomfort he felt from being in the same room as that… _thing._

The monster from the docks, what had Ruby said its name was? Pen? Penny? Something like that. The… _freak_ … was on the opposite side of the room from him, her inhuman shards of broken aura doing a little jig in time to the overly loud music that permeated the hall. Jaune didn't even bother hiding the stab of revulsion as he looked at the monstrosity. 'She' was _wrong._

Whatever that emerald-green aura had belonged to before was dead, that much was clear to Jaune. Penny… whatever it said its name was, had a broken aura. Like someone had taken a knife to a painting and slashed it to ribbons, or if a sculptor tried to make a statue using only a sledgehammer. It was just… _wrong_.

And worse still was the lack of a soul behind it. The absence where the most fundamental aspect of a person should be, the scathing _nothingness_ that was achingly painful to look at.

"It's rude to stare, you know."

Dear Ruby, just as socially awkward as he was. She'd been hovering around for a while now; apparently no one had been quite insane enough to brave Yang's response to asking Ruby to the dance. Not that Jaune could particularly blame anyone in that regard; he'd had to spar Yang once in Goodwitch's class, and his jaw hurt just thinking about it… apparently girls dislike being set on fire, who knew?

"I don't think you have any right to comment," Jaune muttered, "miss 'oh god Jaune, your face…'"

Let it be known that men have long memories too, and can keep grudges just as well as any woman.

"Hey!" Ruby squawked in a distinctly unladylike fashion, "I already apologised for that!"

Hmm… sure she did. But there was something to be said about petty vengeance.

Really, this whole thing was kind of dull. Jaune had only attended because Ruby had told him that he had to 'be there or be square!' Really… Jaune had other things to do.

Like spending more time thinking - _not_ brooding as Cardin and the others called it - about his father's letter. At least he'd finally accepted that Jaune wanted to be a hunter, even if he was still obviously grouchy about it. John Arc wasn't typically a man that took no for an answer when it came to his children - not that any of them had ever seriously rebelled before.

Really, John would have been happy if Jaune had done pretty much _anything_ else. At least his sisters were fairly meh on the subject; the eldest, Violet, had always supported Jaune in pretty much whatever he had set his mind to - even if he flunked out only a couple of days later.

"Well Ruby," Jaune said as he stood up, "I think I'm gonna make like a banana and split."

Comedic gold, right there.

The younger girl waved somewhat half-heartedly as Jaune made his great escape, her reddish aura gently swirling around in what Jaune knew to be boredom.

Cool air blasted Jaune's face as he stepped out the doors, a refreshing change to the stifling heat in the hall. Quietly, he made his way away from the partygoers, heading towards his dorm at a fairly casual pace. There were a few others out and about too; a couple that had snuck off to do… things... in an empty classroom, the Atlesian headmaster wandering about, a couple of unconscious guys around the CCT-

Wait… what?

Jaune stopped walking, his wide vision narrowing onto the still forms of a dozen or so guards around the CCT. They were hurt quite badly too, not just passed out… broken ribs, cracked skull… nasty. Add to that the hazy red aura that was currently ascending the tower? Trouble.

Now, Jaune knew he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but even he didn't particularly fancy just rushing up and fighting someone who had just plowed through a bunch of armed soldiers. But! But Jaune liked to think of himself as someone who could twist the game to favour him a little more. And what better back up was there than one of the four most powerful hunters in Remnant?

With little hesitation, Jaune ran towards where the Atlesian headmaster was, slipping a little gravity Dust into his hand along the way so he could move faster.

"Headmaster!" Jaune shouted as he came closer, eyeing the, frankly, massive silvery-blue aura of Ironwood, "General!"

The man turned towards Jaune, his aura stirring slightly. Though oddly enough, it moved rather sluggishly around the right half of his body. "Student?" he asked, voice firm, "What's the matter?"

Jaune let the power of his gravity Dust slide off him, immensely thankful for his rings preventing any of the discomfort. "The CCT!" he rushed out, "Someone is attacking it!"

Those men could die if left untreated for long, actually some of them had died… their aura was disconnected, like a puppet with its strings cut. The aura was still there, it was just… empty. Sort of similar to that Penny _thing_ , Jaune didn't exactly have time to stop and actually look at whatever was left of their souls - assuming there was anything left, that was. Hopefully they had gone on to a better place… a kinder place.

"What?!" the good general gasped, his face snapping towards the nearby tower. "Student, arm yourself and come with me! We're going to get to the bottom of this!"

Jaune was always armed; paranoia at it's best. Dust crystals were so much easier to hide than say, a _sword_.

Ironwood didn't wait for Jaune to say anything; instead he just ran off at a dizzying speed towards the CCT tower. With a jerk of his hand Jaune pushed a little power into the gravity Dust once again, and even then he struggled to keep pace with the frankly ridiculous speed of the good general.

Within moments, they reached the base of the tower; the unconscious and dead soldiers on the ground were a stark reminder of the seriousness of the situation at hand. "There's someone at the top of the tower!" Jaune shouted to the general, perhaps a fraction louder than was strictly necessary. "She's-" and it was a she, "-doing something to the computers!"

The silvery aura of the general fluctuated slightly in agitation, not that Jaune could particularly blame him. "How do you know? A semblance?" As he spoke, Ironwood drew out a heavy pistol, the startling amount of Dust in each round apparent to Jaune at even just a glance.

"Aura sight," Jaune muttered quickly, ignoring the surprised flicker in Ironwood's aura. "We need to hurry!"

The general didn't say anything else; he just ploughed his way into the CCT proper. Neither of them bothered with the slowness of the elevator, instead opting for the stairs, once again at a pace where Jaune was forced to gently tap into the power of his gravity Dust.

With not even a grunt of exertion or pain, Ironwood _punched_ the door off its hinges as they reached the top floor - quite the achievement since the door was made of solid steel. The general stormed into the room with his gun raised and ready while Jaune came in a moment later, his aura sight locked onto the hazy red being that stood on the other side of the room.

"Unmask yourself!" Ironwood ordered, "Now!"

The red aura flickered, amusement perhaps? Or merely derision? Maybe-

The wave of fire came out of nowhere; one moment there was nothing, and the next there was a flood of searing heat washing over Jaune in the blink of an eye. Vaguely, Jaune could hear Ironwood gasp and fire off a few rounds of his pistol, but that was distant compared to the all-encompassing heat of the fire that now threatened to overwhelm him.

It all burned, every inch of Jaune felt like he was being melted away into ashes. This fire was far stronger than anything he'd ever produced, far hotter and more powerful… it would kill him. The flames clung to his body like a cancer, as if Jaune were the only thing in the world…

And it was so _hot_. The immolating power of these flames were brutal and unforgiving, they would be the death of him.

But… Jaune didn't want to die. He had so much more to do; so many people to meet, family to apologise to… he didn't want to join his mother in the afterlife just yet.

The fire _burned_ so hotly and brightly… but Jaune burned hotter. Rage and determination to survive pooled within him. Dying? Screw that! He had things to do!

With a roar, Jaune _pushed_ outwards, the flames bending to his command as if they had always served him. His aura was heavily depleted, but that didn't stop him. The hazy red aura of The _Bitch_ was there, her attention locked onto Ironwood as he shot at her.

Time to fix that.

It felt like he was on fire, and perhaps he still was, but Jaune hurled the wave of fire at the foul woman with all his dwindling might. Jaune couldn't help but fall to his knees afterwards, his aura depleted and gasping for breath. Was this the level of a fully trained hunter? If so, then he still had a long way to go.

The fire struck true, utterly immolating anything in its path to the hazy red aura.

But then it was just… waved aside.

Jaune couldn't help but gape as the intruder coiled the flames around her and twisted them to shoot at Ironwood. It was like the intense heat had meant absolutely nothing to her; that, or she was just so used to working with fire Dust that her skill and power with it eclipsed Jaune's in every way imaginable.

Ironwood cried out in pain as the heat struck him. His aura managed to put up an impressive front to stop any real damage, but obviously it didn't do much for the pain.

The interloper chuckled lightly as she retreated towards the far window. Jaune tried to move and stop her, but his body felt weak and sluggish - too tired from dealing with the fire to be able to do much else.

"W-wait!" he gasped, but a moment later she leapt through a window - the sound of shattering glass signalling her passage.

But she was gone, the burnt red aura disappearing into the crowd of others quietly and quickly. Jaune would still be able to spot her of course… but not right now. He… he just wanted to sleep… God, why was he so tired?

"Student?!" Was that Ironwood? Why did he sound so far away? "Can you hear me?"

Oh… why was he lying on the floor? It was nice; the cool metal was comforting after dealing with the heat of the fire…

Maybe he could have a little rest? Yeah, just a quick little nap…

* * *

 **Vale, present day…**

Jaune had to admit he was getting pretty sick of this…

All of it. Ever since Nihilus had shown up in his life, what, three days ago now, everything had gone to shit. Things had been simple before; just little pointless things like eating breakfast and playing video games had been his life. The biggest hardship he'd ever had to face before coming to Beacon was trying to get any attention from his parents - which just seemed so _pointless_ now.

His sisters… would they hate what he'd become? Hate the murderer that was their brother? He'd killed… killed so many… the Arcs weren't meant to be like that. John Arc was a man of honour, of conviction and morals. But Jaune was less than that now. Jaune had betrayed everything his father had ever taught him… sure he could say that he wasn't really in control of himself when he unleashed that fiery hell, but that would be a shallow comfort to the families of those he had murdered.

At least his mother wasn't around to see what he'd become. That might've driven her over the edge… but she was gone. Had been for years…

"Usurper!" Nihilus cackled as he hoisted the despairing Arc to his eye level, utterly ignoring the sharp winds their flight was causing. "Does it hurt? Does it hurt? You deserve it!" He just kept laughing…

Jaune couldn't help but cringe. He knew what Nihilus was referring to; the bullet hole Jaune now had that went clean through his shoulder and out the back. Yes, that had hurt terribly. But either thanks to his aura, or thanks to the cold Jaune felt in his spirit, the bullet wound was just… there. It didn't bother him. Hell, he probably deserved it really. It was as good a punishment as any for now…

"Jaune!" Pyrrha shouted over the wind, her green eyes darting between Nihilus and Jaune himself, "Are you okay!? How bad is the bleeding?"

Couldn't she tell it didn't matter anymore? Nothing about him mattered. Jaune was _wrong_. Polluted by whatever Nihilus had done to that ring, that _vile, poisonous_ ring. He could feel it now; like an invisible stain that he couldn't remove, a smear on his soul that had _ruined_ him so thoroughly he was no longer the same person.

"I'm fine," Jaune muttered, not caring that the wind probably muffled his words.

Pyrrha opened her mouth to speak again, but she was cut off by Nihilus suddenly cackling madly. "He's here! The raging bull, and the black cat together again. So sweet, so sweet…"

As per usual, Nihilus made no sense. But that was pretty much par for the course now; Jaune might get worried if the nutty older version of himself suddenly started speaking sense - that would probably mean the end of the world or something.

What was more concerning however, was the fact that they were descending.

Jaune had heard, and seen on television, what Nihilus had done last time he was out and about in Vale. It had been a massacre, about a dozen hunters dead and an entire city block levelled in the chaos.

Within moments they were dumped on the hard concrete ground, the smell of salty water lingering in Jaune's nose as he slumped where he was. The docks, then. Who was Nihilus talking about before, and why were they at the docks? And more importantly, how did Nihilus know them?

"Hello!" the robed lord practically sang as he pranced around on the concrete, utterly unheeding of the echo-y noise made by the abandoned warehouses nearby. "Come on then!" he shouted, mad grin on his face, "Don't keep me waiting! You were so prompt last time! You tasted so hot, but we were surrounded by ice… yes we were, so cold… so cold…"

There was a moment of silence, the empty feeling of the docks painfully clear.

"Nihilus," Pyrrha tried, but she looked so tired… so weary, "I don't think anyone is here."

Jaune dully noted that Nihilus' eyes were that sickly yellow once again. Maybe they went that colour only when his semblance was active? An interesting thought. That would make things easier; let Jaune know when he had his guard down so he could find the right time to attack him, to burn him. To hear his screams of agony and torment as his skin bubbled and popped from the intense heat-

No.

Calm.

That… that wasn't who he was. That was the ring. It had to be the ring… the memory of Nihilus hadn't said whether the effects would bleed into all of who Jaune was, but the mere thought of it...

"Where is she?!"

The voice cut through Jaune's self-deprecating thoughts like a razor blade, and in that instant Jaune's ocean blue eyes locked onto the new man that stood before them.

Tall, well dressed, and wearing a White Fang mask.

A terrorist, then.

Nihilus didn't seem to mind that though.

"Oh… that's easy, my dear Adam!" the blind man sang, "She's spying on us from the warehouse behind me!"

Jaune turned his head sharply to look, and sure enough there was one of the armoured huntresses perched on the roof of one of the nearby buildings - not doing anything, just standing there.

"Out of my way!" the new man, Adam apparently, shouted, "Move, or you'll suffer the same as her!"

Jaune couldn't help but cringe as Nihilus grinned; the full toothy smile was more than a little disheartening.

"You already feel it, don't you?" the pale man purred, "Just like last time, you are the single most resistant meal I have ever devoured… except for her, that is."

Adam snarled, the mask on his face utterly failing to hide the hateful expression that crossed his features. "So that's you draining my aura?" His fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword, "Then I will deal with you first, then her."

Jaune had barely a second to register that Adam had moved; one moment he was there, and the next he was gone - only a blinding flash of red indicated movement.

And then with a crash and a snap it all stopped.

The red sword was lodged so deeply in Nihilus' body that it had cut down through his shoulder and into his chest, Adam's face twisted halfway between a smirk and a frown.

Yet despite the terrible wound, Nihilus was smiling.

"W-what?!" Adam cried as he tried to jerk the sword free, to no avail, "Why didn't it cut all the way through?"

Jaune couldn't help but gape in shock as Nihilus casually backhanded Adam away - punting the man through the wall of a nearby warehouse with absolute nonchalance.

With his grin still firmly in place, Nihilus pulled the sword free of his chest, utterly uncaring to the spurt of blood that accompanied its removal. "I did so enjoy that semblance of yours," he chuckled, "and even now your soul is so feisty!"

Jaune and Pyrrha could only blink as Nihilus' wounded flesh knit itself back together, his robes following suit only a moment later.

Adam staggered to his feet, his mask long gone and a deep cut on his forehead as he stumbled towards Nihilus again. "Wha… what are you doing to me?"

Nihilus' grin only widened. "Just adding you to my collection," a bubble of laughter escaped his pale lips, "find peace in the embrace of thousands of souls just like yourself…"

Adam staggered up to Nihilus, his hand lashing out weakly in an attempt to punch the robed lord.

The blow just bounced off his aura, the unmovable body of Nihilus' crushing will forcing Adam to his knees.

"I wonder," the false Arc whispered, "will you be like last time? Will you be the first and only?"

"Stop!" Pyrrha cried suddenly, her weary expression hidden under righteous anger, "You're killing him!"

Nihilus ignored her.

Pyrrha should know better by now… Nihilus didn't do mercy. He was a being of rage and pain - not pity.

"I…" Adam's skin began to rot on his bones, necrosis aging him decades in mere seconds. "I will not die kneeling to a human…" with what must have been herculean strength of will, Adam forced himself to his feet, uncaring that his body was decomposing. "I will die standing…"

Nihilus only nodded, as if he expected this.

Even as his body crumbled into dust, Adam stared into Nihilus' sickly yellow eyes, his will absolutely resolute in the face of his death.

"Thank… you…"

And just like that the man before them crumpled to dust, his soul gone and his body destroyed.

"You're a murderer," Pyrrha hissed to Nihilus after a moment of silence. "How could you ever learn to be this way? You were never Jaune Arc, you… you're _foul_."

Nihilus ignored her, his unseeing gaze locking onto Jaune suddenly. "Dodge."

Dodge? What did he-

There she was again, Violet. The little girl with the bloodstained snowsuit… but something was wrong. Her expressive purple eyes held only panic and fear - her mouth moved, but he heard no words, she screamed and shouted only for silence to escape her. What was wrong? Why was she-

 _BANG!_

Jaune felt the explosive pain shear through his chest all in a single instant, his heart bursting into unimaginable agony as pain tore through him.

"Jaune!"

He wasn't sure who said that, he had less than a second to comprehend someone had even spoken. Before he could even look down to see what had happened to him, Jaune suddenly found himself flying backwards into the wall of one of the nearby warehouses. Without explanation, his chest started hurting way worse, like something was terribly wrong...

With a start, Jaune noted that the armoured huntress that had been spying on them was standing before him, her dark armour dully gleaming in the light of the sun. Jaune tilted his head down to look at his chest; with mild surprise, he noted that the armoured huntress had run him through with her sword, and that there was a gaping hole over where his heart was meant to be. Had someone shot him? Was that what happened…?

"I'm sorry," the distorted and quiet voice whispered, "Jaune… I'm sorry."

Violet was there too, her small hand clutching at his trembling fingers so tightly… she didn't look panicked anymore, only sad - like she knew what was going to happen next, but also knew that there was nothing that could be done to stop it.

Jaune opened his mouth to speak, to reassure the girl that everything was fine - despite the fact that he knew it wasn't. But only a spatter of blood came out, the chaotic red splattering down his killer's armour. He tried to breathe, but no air came to him. Darkness crept into the edge of his vision as he stared at the sword that had impaled him… so familiar… where had he seen it before?

" _Daddy…_ " Violet whispered,

That sword… it looked like…

" _Say hello to mummy for me…_ "

Blake's. Blake… had killed him.

Darkness consumed his sight, and in that moment, Jaune Arc died.

 **A/N**

 **Alas, so ends the life and struggles of Jaune Arc. Killed by Ruby and Blake before he ever managed to make something of himself… bummer for him I suppose. For those of you who are wondering, yes! That really did just happen. Jaune died. End of the line, game over, etc…**

 **Anyone curious why his aura didn't protect him from the bullets? Or why Nihilus didn't bother to save him when it was well within his power? All those questions will be answered… if you ask! C'mon guys; help a guy out, leave a review!**

 **Speaking of reviews:**

 **Shaded Azure :**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**  
 **An excellent point, but there a few issues with this suggestion: Most obviously perhaps would be that Jaune is one of those damn picky people who would whine and complain about having his arm lopped off. Ha...**

 **Jokes aside though; even if they did do that the effect would be minimal. Jaune would no longer be able to use the ring as a catalyst for fire Dust (assuming he doesn't just find a way to put it onto his other hand) but he would still have all the negative emotional and psychological effects - just without the added bonus of having the means to... blow off some steam so to speak.**

 **A good and fully logical suggestion, good job.**

 **Yuligan101:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**  
 **Thank you! I do try to keep things interesting, particularly when I get to play with characters like Nihilus. Chaos is more fun to write, especially in the form of Nihilus - who, interestingly enough, has yet to actually lie about anything. Quite the achievement considering he has spouted a few pieces of contradicting information.**

 **There are two answers to your question, as whenever Nihilus uses the term 'Hollow' he could mean two different things. Initially 'Hollow' was the word the young Nihilus used to describe the Ursa in Forever Fall - and he used it again in the present prior to capturing Jaune and Pyrrha. Basically, it was a block term for Grimm. But later in life (we haven't quite gotten to it yet, it's not far off though...) Nihilus started using the word hollow as both an insult and a way to describe particular people who have done... things. You'll see. As for telling which way Nihilus means it in conversation; if he's talking about people it's the latter definition, if it's Grimm then it's the former.**

 **Great Question! The only other person who saw fit to ask is my Beta.**

 **COOLER:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **The past scenes are deliciously ironic, especially considering how things turned out.**

 **It is correct that there are three lifetimes worth of knowledge in the ring; the first is all the skill that Nihilus himself had before he became what he is now. The second is Cinder; all her skill and power over her life is there. Lastly is Amber (the weakest of the three in terms of skill with Dust) what little information she could add is thrown in there too.**

 **Nihilus did put part of a soul into the ring - his own soul to be precise. However, unlike the apparition, the ring lacks any kind of consciousness or personality. The ring is two things alone; everything anyone could ever want to know about fire, and enough rage and hatred to burn the world down.**

 **Mastermind:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Thank you, I try.**

 **Blake was sent to negotiate with the White Fang leaders - to see if they would provide any aid in dealing with Nihilus. Upon the failure of recruiting them, Ruby ordered Blake to kill the White Fang's best fighter and primary threat - Adam. Blake, already weakened from spending years fighting Nihilus, knows she can't win in a straight up fight. So she arranges to play dirty - however whatever plan she had was interrupted by Nihilus' arrival in this chapter.**

 **The Pyrrha of Nihilus' world is irrevocably dead, I'm afraid. Violet is a special circumstance, technically it would be wrong to say that she died - she isn't dead, but she's also not really alive. Violet will exist for as long as Nihilus does, but Pyrrha does not suffer the same fate.**

 **Big Smoke:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Nope! Whatever floats your goat.**

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, and please remember to leave a review!**

 **EDIT: Re-uploaded since I finally started getting notifications again, hope everyone sees this.**


	20. A Dance Between Friends

Wraith

Chapter Twenty

Beta: Smithrooks

A Dance Between Friends

 **Beacon, many years ago.**

Awareness slowly crept into Jaune's psyche, the dull throb of seeing the aura of others slipping into his mind as he woke up.

"Mr. Arc?"

Ugh, couldn't whoever that was see that he was sleeping? Honestly, some people were so rude these days.

"We know you're awake, Mr. Arc."

It was a different voice this time, a much more familiar one too. Good old Ozpin, you can always trust him to ruin a healthy bout of laziness… "I hate you."

Gradually, Jaune's perception began to expand outwards, the unending forest green of Ozpin's aura serving as a nice little slap in the face to snap Jaune into total awareness. There was someone else in the room too, the silvery blue of General Ironwood standing in stark contrast to Ozpin's more sedate looking aura.

"No, you don't," Ozpin informed Jaune lightly, "you love me for letting you stay at my school."

Ack, damn logic. Why did Ozpin have to be so good at that? "My mistake then," Jaune muttered as he attempted to sit up. "Where am I?"

"The infirmary, Mr. Arc."

And why would that be? Hadn't he been at the dance? Ruby had sat by him and they'd shared a laugh over his toast to the socially awkward. Then… then he'd gone outside and… and something. Jaune fidgeted uncomfortably when the gap in his memory became clear, just what the hell had happened?

"Mr. Arc," Ironwood intoned, "now that you're awake, I can properly thank you for your efforts last night. Without your quick reaction to the threat, things could have been infinitely worse - the intruder could have even damaged the CCT."

CCT? What did- OH!

It all came crashing back in that single moment; the hazy red aura of the woman, the fight in the tower, the impossible _heat_ of the fire… yeah, Jaune remembered. "Did… are those soldiers okay?" some of them had been beyond help already, but they can't all have died…

The silence that met the question was telling, the moment of hesitation giving away the answer before it was spoken. Jaune had failed them. If he'd noticed sooner, or been more powerful… maybe he could have stopped it. Maybe he could have saved them, or maybe he could have stopped the woman before she ended their lives.

"They did their duty," the general said calmly, "their sacrifice will not be forgotten."

Jaune didn't want to hear it. He felt like a failure. Huntsmen were meant to save people, and what had he done? Arrived only in time to be set on fire by their murderer. "Can I go?" he asked, "I… need time to myself."

Ironwood and Ozpin rose to their feet, their massive aura pools almost suffocating to look at. "You are free to leave, Mr. Arc," Ozpin informed him, "but for the next three days you mustn't strain yourself - lest you find yourself unable to participate in your first official mission in a week's time."

The Headmaster of Beacon stepped away, but Ironwood stayed for a moment. "Thank you again for your efforts, Mr. Arc. Should you ever require assistance or find yourself growing tired of Vale, you will always have friends in Atlas."

A weak comfort, considering the attitude the general had towards his former soldiers. Was everyone in the Atlesian military considered as… expendable as Ironwood seemed to view them? Jaune shuddered at the thought; thousands of people - all little more than tools be to used and discarded. Maybe this is why his father hadn't wanted him to become a hunter?

Ironwood left the room quietly, his massive silvery blue aura pool gently swirling around his left side, and sluggishly oozing around his right. Maybe there was something wrong with him? Aura wasn't really meant to do that, with Ironwood it looked like he was forcing the aura through something rather than it just following the natural paths of his body.

Thoughts for later, at any rate.

With a sigh, Jaune forced himself to his feet, a crushing feeling of lethargy weighing him down as he changed out of the paper-thin hospital gown and into his usual hoodie. The material was vaguely comforting to wear again; it helped take his mind off the horror of his failure last night… even if it was only for a few precious moments.

Using his now well-practiced hands Jaune tied his bandana around his eyes; he wasn't exactly sure what colour the material was to everyone else, but he liked it because it was absolutely soaked in his own white soul matter.

Quietly, almost timidly, Jaune made his way out of the infirmary. He didn't want to see his team right now; they were nice enough, but collectively they had the emotional range of a small rock. Ruby and her team were out too; Ruby herself was a great girl, but sometimes she struggled to see other people's side of things - she wouldn't understand why Jaune felt he had failed.

That left only Pyrrha he could speak to about his epic failure to live up to the promise he had made upon hearing his father's letter. She would understand, she was good like that. Mind made up, Jaune started walking towards team NRVR's dorm; maybe he and Pyrrha could find somewhere quiet and talk? She would understand his insistence this one time, the ever kind and understanding girl that she was.

"Hey there."

The voice startled Jaune out of his thoughts, his mind snapping back into awareness of his surroundings instantly. Three people, two female and one male. Male with silver aura, female with a sickly green aura, and the third with… hazy red?

Hazy red?

"You're Jaune, right?" it was the silver male that was speaking, but Jaune wasn't listening - he was staring at the murderer standing behind the boy.

It was her. The hazy red aura of the woman last night… the woman that had killed a bunch of soldiers so she could get into the CCT. Why was she here? _How_ was she here? This was too much…

"Yeah…" Jaune muttered in response to the question, his aura already beginning to sing in anticipation of what he was about to do.

"I'm Mercury, and these are my teammates Emerald and Cinder," the silver-aura boy said amicably, "I heard that you were crazy good with Dust and I was hoping you could help me out with a problem."

Jaune didn't know if this 'Mercury' or the sickly green aura of the ironically named 'Emerald' knew about the monster on their team in the form of the hazy red aura of Cinder, but… well, they would survive at any rate. Whether or not that was a good thing could be worked out later.

With a shout, Jaune thrust his arms forwards, his aura forcibly guiding the roaring power of fire Dust through his special rings and outwards towards the foul woman that dared stand in these hallways and call herself a huntress. The burning heat rushed forwards in a haze of righteous anger the likes of which Jaune had never felt before, the heady power greedily consuming anything in its path.

The two extras didn't even have time to react before the wall of fire soaked over them and towards Cinder, their surprised shouts a good enough indication that they had survived the initial onslaught - even if they were blasted backwards with thunderous force.

Cinder dealt with the sudden blistering heat much better; with a violent surge of aura from Cinder, Jaune felt the power of the fire wrested from his control with almost trivial ease. Jaune had hardly a second to gasp before he found his own fire redirected back towards him with double the ferocity behind it.

The blind boy was pushed backwards as he tried to block the intense attack, his arms burning even through the armouring effect of aura. With a twist of his own spirit and a grunt of pain Jaune willed the fire to die, his now slightly charred arms simmering in pain from blocking his own attack.

"I wonder…" the voice was like soft velvet, but Jaune knew it to be little more than a cover for the viper that this 'Cinder' truly was. "How did you recognise me?"

Jaune wouldn't give the murderer the satisfaction; with another shout he launched himself forwards - this time using the power of his gravity Dust to propel himself for what would be a truly devastating punch to the face.

With speed Jaune could hardly follow, his attack was deflected to the side and a small fireball slammed into his chest with enough force to hurl him back against a nearby window, the glass holding strong as he crashed into it. The blind boy gasped and shuddered as he rose to his feet, his body aching something terrible as he stared at the hazy red aura of the killer.

"Ah, well…" she purred, "if you won't talk, then that's just too bad."

Jaune didn't even have time to question it, let alone think about what she had just said. In an instant, several dull embers near his feet were enveloped in the woman's powerful aura, and less than a second later they exploded with thunderous force.

Jaune vaguely heard the sound of shattering glass, and for a moment he blacked out. When he came to, Jaune found himself tumbling downwards towards the hard and unyielding stone of the Beacon courtyard - forcibly ejected from the third floor corridor he had been in mere moments ago.

A mild surge of panic erupted in his mind, but it was quickly quelled. With a roar somewhere between stress, anger, and fear, Jaune thrust his hands downwards - emptying an entire fire Dust crystal in one go as he used a massive plume of fire to slow himself down. His hands ached and his body shuddered in abject agony, but as Jaune connected with the now glowing hot ground he couldn't help but feel just a touch pleased that his landing strategy was better than his last one.

Jaune hit the ground with all the grace of a man doing the world's worst belly flop - but he survived.

But he had lost the fight. He could see it now; the hazy red aura of Cinder and her two goons quickly rushing away from the school… he'd failed. Again.

* * *

 **Vale docks, present day…**

Pyrrha stared.

And stared, and stared, and stared…

But no matter how long she looked, Jaune was still dead.

A bullet through the heart, a sword through the chest…

Jaune was dead.

Why…? How…? Why didn't his aura protect him? It was just like back at Beacon; the crack of the rifle shot, this time distantly, tearing through the air and rending Jaune's flesh apart. The first huntress, the one from Beacon must have sniped from afar… leaving the one here to… finish the job.

She stood there now, her oddly familiar sword covered in still warm blood, her armour splattered with the cursed red substance from Jaune's death throes.

And behind her… was the body.

Vaguely, Pyrrha heard Nihilus laugh, but it was muted and dull compared to the words that slipped out of her mouth, "You… killed him…"

Jaune was dead… her partner, her friend… dead.

"I'm sorry," the voice was quiet and distorted, "It was never meant to be this way, everything's so _wrong_ now…"

But Pyrrha didn't hear it. She didn't care to. Jaune… was gone. But she would avenge him, defeat this… stain, and give Jaune some peace in knowing that his killer wasn't getting off free!

With a scream of rage and sorrow, Pyrrha reached out with her semblance to bind the armoured being before her, fully intent on smashing her into and through as many hard surfaces as possible.

But something was wrong. She felt the metal of the suit… but she couldn't grasp it with her semblance. It just sat there, mocking her.

Pyrrha snarled, if she couldn't use her semblance to win then so be it. She'd just have to use her blade-

The crack of another rifle shot stopped Pyrrha dead in her tracks, the ground beneath her feet splintering as the Dust round slammed into it. What was that? Pyrrha's emerald-green eyes snapped upwards in the direction the shot came from; there was nothing, just more buildings and-

There! A glint of light, a small reflection where there shouldn't be any. That was the sniper, the woman from Beacon. It was far away, far enough that Pyrrha had to squint just to get the vaguest impression of what the gunman looked like. But even without a clear line of sight, Pyrrha knew it was the woman that had signed Jaune's death warrant. She could feel it in her gut.

"She's trying to tell you not to get involved."

Nihilus' voice crashed through her thoughts like a tsunami, the false lord sneering as he informed Pyrrha of his _wisdom._

"She only wanted to kill the Usurper, not you, illusion."

Pyrrha whirled around to face him, her eyes burning with tears as it all began to sink in. "Don't you care AT ALL?!" she screeched in his face, "He was YOU! And you just let him _die!_ "

Nihilus just sneered, "I had to suffer, to struggle for my might. What was his struggle? How did he suffer? He never earned his power, it was given to him."

"You could have saved him!" she roared, "Saved yourself!"

Nihilus' sickly yellow eyes darted around wildly. "Go to him then, interloper," he jerked his head towards the rapidly cooling corpse, "his spirit flails around in distress, soothe him before he fades into the void."

The black-armoured huntress flicked the blood off her sword as she drew closer, "Go now Pyrrha, this is between Jaune and I."

Pyrrha took a step back, her eyes landing solely onto what remained of Jaune. He was dead… but she would stay with him.

She owed him that much.

* * *

 **Vale docks, present day…**

Blake released a shallow breath as Pyrrha knelt down by the cooling corpse of who could have been her husband in another life. She wished it didn't have to be this way, that no one had to die… but it was better like this. With the Jaune of this world gone, the chances of the Fall of Amity happening again were pretty much nil compared to what they were with him alive.

Blake pretended she didn't hear the quiet sobs as Pyrrha cradled the corpse gently.

"I never understood you…" Nihilus' voice sent shivers up her spine as she glared at him from behind her helmet, "But the poor idealistic little kitten just acts like a good little martyr now… yes, like a good toy soldier."

Is that what he saw them as? Martyrs? Toy soldiers? Was this how far Jaune had fallen? All the hate, all the sorrow he'd been burdened with… she couldn't understand what drove him to still fight. But even now… she couldn't blame him. Were she in his position she would have killed herself, only his iron will kept him alive now... "Please, Jaune," she begged, "We don't need to do this. I know I can never hope to understand what you're feeling, but it doesn't have to be this way!"

Nihilus snarled, his face twisting hatefully in ways so unlike the Jaune she once knew. "This? This is all that's left! Can't you see?! Nothing else matters anymore; not you, not me, not _ANYONE!_ " With rage marring his face, Nihilus flung his right hand outwards, a bolt of golden lightning escaping his fingers as he did.

Blake only just managed to dodge the bolt of lightning hurled her way, her armoured feet skidding across the ground as she put distance between herself and her fallen friend. "Jaune!" she begged, pleading that somewhere deep down the kind boy that had helped her against the White Fang was still there, "We don't need to fight!"

Nihilus grinned nastily, teeth as white as his skin shining through the sick grin. "No," he muttered, "we don't." And not a second later, he vanished.

Blake jerked, where did he go? How-

The blow came from behind, the crushing force unlike anything she'd ever felt before sending the armoured faunus hurtling through the air and smashing through the walls of half a dozen warehouses before she tumbled to a stop.

The next breath Blake took in was harsh and raspy, a vaguely wet sound resonating as she lay in the rubble of what had only moments ago been numerous walls.

Nihilus reappeared before her just as quickly as he had disappeared before, "When you fought me in Vale I was depleted. I will grant you the death you have so longed for, hollow."

Blake felt a dribble of blood ooze out her mouth. This was it. Her death. More than she had expected, for sure. Better than a ditch in the middle of nowhere by a long shot.

With what felt like herculean effort she pushed herself to her feet, idly noting that she had dropped her swords when she'd been punted through half the warehouses in the city. With quiet resignation she drew a small knife from her belt, the blade gleaming as tiny slivers of sunlight hit it through the cracked roof.

A dry chuckle escaped her lips as Blake charged forward with her knife poised to stab Nihilus in the heart. "When we were students, I couldn't stop myself from loving what you stood for, you know. And since then… I was never able to forgive myself for how I treated you, how petty I was." The blow was deflected easily, battered away like a moth in a hurricane.

Nihilus sneered as he raised his ring-clad hand, wisp-like flames dancing on his fingers. "Liar." In a blinding flash of motion the false lord slapped Blake to the ground again, the concrete shattering from the force alone.

Blake wheezed and coughed, but she still had more to say - even in the face of what would doubtlessly be her death. If she and the others had struggled to match him at his weakest in Vale, she knew that there was no hope she could beat him at his best. But before she died… she had to get a few things off her chest, things she should have said years ago. "You never called me out on my childishness," Blake whispered as she slowly removed the seals on her helmet, "never looking for rewards for the good you did."

Feeling the effects of his semblance for possibly the last time, Blake removed her helmet. "You, Jaune… you just stood there in your righteousness." God, she was so tired. Tired of it all. "On some level, I wanted you to judge me, I wanted to see that you were just as bad as the rest of us so I wouldn't feel guilty…"

Blake rolled to her feet, her already greatly diminished aura fading quickly under Nihilus' crushing might. But she didn't stop, she could never stop… with only a quick flick of her wrist she sent her knife hurtling through the air towards Nihilus' chest, and only a second later she charged in with her fist raised to punch her former friend in the face.

But it wasn't meant to be.

In a motion so fast that Blake could hardly follow it, Nihilus plucked the flying knife out of the air mere moments before it found its mark in his heart, and in one fluid motion he swatted the irrelevant punch away with his free hand and jammed the knife between the folds of her armour - straight into her ribcage.

Blake gasped, her body jerking and shuddering as the cold steel blade found its way into her lung. Her own warm, amber eyes met the sickly yellow of Nihilus' as blood began to ooze out her mouth. "But I can say this with certainty now, Jaune," Nihilus held her close, gently guiding his former friend to the death she had so longed for. Finally, she felt she could be free of all the suffering in the world… "You were the best of us. If only we had helped you, as you had helped us then… maybe things could have been different…"

She felt her body crumble to ash as her final words escaped her lips. Death was almost a gift at this point; so many years of doing what she thought was the right thing, so much suffering caused through her time in the White Fang and later through her actions in RWBY… she deserved this. They'd gone too far, Jaune had gone too far… but at this point it was just nice to have the pain end.

"Thank you…"

With the faintest of smiles on her face, Blake felt herself drift away from life, all her struggles fading away as she found the peace she was looking for. This was the death she had longed for… the release of all the suffering as she stepped out of life and into the next great adventure.

She just hoped that Yang would be there to greet her on the other side.

* * *

 **Vale, present day…**

Ruby raged and cried, but it didn't change anything.

She'd used the last of the Origin Rounds to shoot the younger Jaune through the heart, and then Blake had finished him off. But… but Blake didn't retreat like she was meant to. The foolish, _foolish_ girl had stayed and tried to talk to Nihilus. Why? _Why?_ Why had Blake done that? Ruby just… it wasn't fair! Nihilus had gone and done it again, killed someone Ruby held close to her heart. And for what? Just a meal?

Ruby was practically a city away, and when Nihilus had used his gravity Dust to throw Blake through some buildings… there was nothing she could do. By the time she got there Blake would be dead, and all she'd achieve was her own death - leaving Weiss alone in this miserable excuse for a life.

Why had Blake stayed though? She was intelligent enough to know that no matter what happened Nihilus would have killed her just like he did Yang. So why?

Why did Blake have to die?

 **A/N**

 **Wow, looks like characters are dropping like flies at this rate.**

 **Too soon?  
**

 **Poor Blake, killed by a man she once considered a paragon of moral goodness. Alas, life sucks sometimes. Bummer for her I suppose.**

 **My poor attempts at humour aside, let's look at the reviews:**

 **blaiseingfire:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **What can I say? I like to keep things interesting.**

 **SoraReach:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **That's what I was going for, I wanted the second half of this chapter to be as traumatic as possible. Jaune's suffering was brief compared to that of Nihilus himself, and that is something that Nihilus will never forget.**

 **Of course, Nihilus was planning something. He is one-third Cinder, schemes are his nature.**

 **Romulus Black Talon:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Had it been any other bullet Jaune's aura would have protected him, but the circumstances were unique. These bullets were originally intended for Nihilus alone - but beyond that and recommending taking another look at Ruby's dialogue to Nihilus in chapter 17 I can't really say without spoiling anything.**

 **So did Nihilus.**

 **Tabris the 17th angle:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **That's okay.**

 **Multiverse theory, nothing Nihilus does can affect his own personal timeline. Everything happening in the 'many years ago' segments is immutable, and the outcome of all that ended up being the universe shown from chapter 9 to chapter 16 (Nihilus' home world so to speak).**

 **As for why Nihilus didn't save Jaune; ever since giving Jaune the ring Nihilus has hated Jaune with a passion - hated that Jaune never had to struggle or work for his power while Nihilus himself spent a lifetime suffering and clawing for every shred of power he could. Nihilus, while not inclined to kill Jaune himself, is only kind enough to give Jaune mild warning of impending danger.**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I hope that's a good reaction to have.  
**

 **Clever of you to have noticed. A Crime of opportunity, but no less intentional. Nihilus noticed Blake and Adam, already knew about Ruby following him - what better way to eliminate Jaune? A perfect way to further his current goals.**

 **Remember; Nihilus is insane, but he is still frighteningly intelligent.**

 **Le MAO XXIII:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **That's the reaction I was going for, I wanted Jaune's death to be as jarring and sudden as possible - a traumatic and brutal ending to his journey.**

 **Aura-piercing yes, metal no - something within the bullet. Only five of those bullets were ever made, and while they could be recreated, Ruby would never force the issue. And yes, the sword also helped the process, being stabbed in the heart does that I hear.**

 **A crime of opportunity, but no less intentional.**

 **Have fun with your happy thoughts.**

 **Jaune Black Smudge:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Indeed, Jaune Arc is dead. Beyond that, I can't really say without spoiling anything. Though I find that death tends to stick.**

 **Only five of those specific bullets were ever created, you have seen three of them used. They could be made again, but even Ruby wouldn't stoop that low. As for why Nihilus allowed it to happen... You're intelligent enough to have noticed the shift it the way Nihilus has been referring to Jaune as 'Usurper' instead of the original title of 'Shell' - the change being when Jaune accepted the ring. It would be accurate to say that any compassion Nihilus felt towards Jaune died a quick and ugly death as it was replaced by contempt. When Nihilus offered Jaune the ring it was a test - a test Jaune failed.**

 **The relationship between Nihilus and the two headmasters had its ups and downs; Ironwood initially serving as something of a contact he could call on if the need was great enough, though this obviously didn't hold out very well into Nihilus' later years. Ozpin fits into more of a mentor role (see more of that later), and... well, you'll see.**

 **COOLER:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I'm not really into rap (I'd rather neuter myself really…), but I'll take the complement.**

 **Inexperience and the bullet played a role in it, but the game was rigged from the start. It could have been avoided, but Nihilus didn't particularly care to save his counterpart. Well, Blake certainly isn't with her anymore… so that's one problem crossed off the list I suppose.**

 **The Ring isn't a container, nor can things be sucked into it. Jaune is dead, there is only one thing to suggest otherwise - and that is in this chapter.**

* * *

 **Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a review!**


	21. Dead Memories

Wraith

Chapter Twenty-one

Beta: Smithrooks

Dead Memories

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

Jaune wasn't liking this whole 'reputation' business; it was much too troublesome.

Not six days ago, Jaune had found himself hurled out the third floor window after he, somewhat foolishly in hindsight, attacked the now-infamous 'Cinder'. As quickly as possible he'd informed both Ironwood and Ozpin of the development, but by then it had been too late. Cinder and her two accomplices were long since gone.

Apparently Jaune was vaguely popular now, who'd have guessed? Foil an apparently diabolical plot and suddenly everyone wants to be his best friend. Kind of shallow really, especially given that less than a week ago most of everyone in the school either ignored him or openly called him the ugliest person they'd ever seen.

Good thing team RWBY were such good sports about it, actively helping him avoid anyone he found irritating. Much better than his own team in that regard, they encouraged this madness! RWBY were kind of a mixed bag though; Ruby and Yang were brilliant, praising him for trying to capture that Cinder woman, but not pushing the issue. Weiss was… polite, but also disinterested. Blake was tricky; she agreed with pretty much everything he said… but her purple aura shivered in mild disgust whenever she looked in his direction. Maybe she thought he was ugly? She was nice enough not to point it out, so that was fine.

"I'm so excited!"

That would be Ruby, aura already buzzing excitedly at the thought of everyone's first mission tomorrow. His team had chosen to stay in the city thanks to his problem with seeing Grimm; apparently they were going to be deputy police officers - that was pretty cool in its own right. Though it had come with the depressing realisation that Jaune would pretty much always be doing things like this during his time as a hunter. Stuff within cities, fighting _crime_ instead of _Grimm._ Which was fine really, just not quite what Jaune had imagined when he first set out to be a hero.

"Jaune, are you even listening?!"

 _Of course_ he was listening. That was pretty much all Jaune ever did these days, people would be surprised what one hears if they just stop and listen once in a while. "Yes, Ruby," he breathed calmly, not caring in the slightest for the din of the cafeteria around them, "you were saying about how excited you were to go out and fight Grimm."

The other three girls on RWBY seemed excited as well, though they were far better at hiding it than Ruby herself was. Yang was busy stuffing her face with food while nodding vigorously along with Ruby's words. Weiss was filing her nails calmly, but her white aura betrayed her enthusiasm. Blake was… reading? She was reading, but she was _watching_ too… Jaune wasn't entirely sure how she did that, but he could feel her purple aura gazing at him every now and then.

"Why aren't you excited then?!" Ruby practically barked, "It's so cool!"

Jaune smiled thinly, "Of course, I-"

His scroll buzzed.

Jaune pulled the small device out of his pocket, rising indignation swelling within him as he realised why it had had made a sound. Did someone just… _text_ him? What the hell?! _Why?!_ Why would they text him? What was the bloody point? It wasn't like he could read! The only reason he had the scroll was so he could access his dorm room! Who the fuck would text him!?

"Did…" Blake muttered from the other side of the table, "did someone just text you?" she sounded just as incredulous as Jaune was feeling.

"Well, that's just impolite," Weiss muttered, not bothering to divert attention away from her nails.

With iron will, Jaune restrained the urge to set the scroll on fire, or crush it under tonnes of stone, or pulverise it under its own weight, or electrocute it, or… well, he restrained himself from doing a lot of things. "I…" Jaune breathed deeply, "I can't read whatever it says," god he hated asking people this… "Can one of you please read it to me?"

It made Jaune feel so pathetic when he had to ask that, like he was an invalid. He hated the feeling that he was helpless, that he needed to rely on others for this most basic of tasks - he was a hunter, a hero of justice… he didn't, _shouldn't,_ need anyone's help.

Blake pulled the scroll from his hand before the others could say anything, her fingers barely brushing against his hand as she did so. Jaune couldn't help but note that her purple aura shivered in quiet disgust when their skin made contact, though she seemed to hide it well enough. "The message is from Cardin," she all but spat the name, "he says that you have mail."

Was Cardin just an idiot or was he being cruel on purpose? Both were applicable, though it was likely the former. Cardin was a bully for sure, but he was also extremely loyal to his team - and extremely grateful he didn't die in Forever Fall thanks to Jaune's intervention.

The scroll buzzed again.

Blake's aura was practically seething, though Jaune wasn't particularly sure why. Why was she so angry on his behalf? It was nice of her, but also achieved nothing other than making Jaune feel mildly appreciated. "He says that your parcel is waiting in the dorm room, and he…" Blake's aura was waving around agitatedly, "...apologises because he just realised how pointless it was to send you these messages."

Well, at least the idiot had the decency to apologise.

"Thank you," Jaune muttered to Blake as he reclaimed his scroll before turning to the rest of RWBY on the table. "I'm off then. I probably won't see you until after your mission, so have fun!"

Because what could possibly be more fun than being neck-deep in literal walking nightmares that want nothing more than the utter and total destruction of mankind?

"See ya, Jaune!"

Jaune meandered his way towards his dorm room fairly quickly. Most people wouldn't bother him, but sometimes Jaune found himself uncomfortable around others. They tended to stare at his face or make comments that were rather hurtful - even if he didn't show that it affected him.

Within a few minutes Jaune got to his dorm, the other three males in the room hardly bothering to say hello before Cardin pointed to the small package sitting on Jaune's bed. It was odd, actually; just looking at it, Jaune could see what he knew to be his father's aura smeared across the very small little package. And small it was, too small to be a letter of any kind.

The blind boy picked up the little thing, his calloused fingers feeling the rough paper it was wrapped in. A small smile graced his ugly face when he realised what exactly he was holding: a recorder. That was a good idea actually, this way Jaune wouldn't have to rely on having Pyrrha write letters for him - which had been rather awkward when he replied to his father's first missive.

John Arc wasn't a particularly emotive man, but he was thoughtful. Jaune quietly excused himself from the room; he wasn't about to listen to this where people could hear it.

The roof was as good a place as any, but he'd have to keep it quiet enough that his team couldn't hear him; especially given that their dorm was right at the top of the building - something Cardin was quite proud of for some reason.

Once Jaune had made himself comfortable sitting on the edge of the building, he unwrapped the small recorder and hit the play button.

" _Jaune…"_ his father's voice was just so tired, though Jaune could hardly fault him, _"I tried to guide you away from becoming a hunter, I wanted you to live a better life."_

Jaune already knew that. Since the loss of his wife, John Arc had made it his mission to turn his children away from being hunters - and seven out of eight wasn't bad. Unfortunately, Jaune had his heart set on it, and Jaune was nothing if not persistant.

" _And then to hear that on your first day at Beacon you were maimed and blinded…_ " the man's voice wasn't sad, just a slight twinge of anger had pervaded the words, _"and yet you still wish for this life? You're a fool. You're a damn fool._ "

Yes, well… but Jaune wouldn't be able to live with himself if he abandoned his ideals. The path of a hunter would almost certainly lead to his death in the long run, that was pretty much a certainty for _anyone_ who walked down this path.

" _I must be a fool too then, considering I'm actually considering helping you on your damn stupid crusade._ " John Arc cared for his family - that much was utterly beyond doubt or question. _"You now have full access to the Arc family bank accounts, and I will personally be in Vale during the 'mission' you mentioned - I spoke to Ozpin, the slimy bastard that he is, and I found that your mission is on the weak and easy side. I will remedy this by leaving your teammates to deal with the mission while you and I get some serious training in - make sure you are ready for it."_

Oh boy… training? With John Arc? A fantastic learning opportunity for sure, but also a _painful_ one. John Arc had something of a reputation among hunters for being a ruthless bastard, and the man could tell stories that would even make Professor Port's look tame. This was the man that could - and had - punched Kraken level Grimm to death - Jaune didn't particularly fancy the thought of even being on the same continent as John if they were meant to be 'fighting'.

Maybe he could ask Ironwood if he could borrow one of his fancy-pants battleships? That might bring the fight onto somewhat… kinda… not really… even terms.

" _I'll see you in a few days, Jaune."_

Jaune shivered.

* * *

 **Vale, present day…**

Pyrrha held Jaune's body close.

She tried to ignore the blood, and the way he was getting colder…

" _Go to him then, interloper. His spirit flails around in distress, soothe him before he fades into the void."_

The words of Nihilus were like a stab in her already aching heart. When he had said that before fighting the armoured huntress… Pyrrha had dared hope, some tiny little corner of her mind screaming that maybe Jaune was still alive…

But he was dead. His eyes were glassy and lifeless, his blood sickening and cold.

"His soul is leaving."

She was growing to hate that voice, the sickening parody of what Jaune had been. Nihilus claimed that he used to be Jaune… but that just wasn't possible. Jaune would _never_ become as vile as Nihilus was, standing over the body of someone who used to have hopes and dreams with only a smile to show.

"You have a choice now, interloper."

Pyrrha stared at Jaune's lifeless eyes. He had been so tired at the end… after less than half a week his life had been practically ruined by the monster that even now stood over her, his sickly yellow eyes vacant as he looked at the body. And what did he say? A choice? What was the point of that? NIhilus had obviously finished killing that huntress, but what did he intend to do now? Jaune was dead, and with him went any reason Nihilus could possibly have to keep her around… Maybe he would kill her, maybe he would suck out her soul like he had so many others…

"Listen to me."

It was like an electric shock ran through her, a bolt of lightning running down her spine - all in a single instant. She wasn't sure if she did it on purpose, or if it was Nihilus making her, but she turned to face him - her emerald green eyes locking onto his yellow orbs.

Except his eyes were blue again, the pale blue of his blindness showing through even as he stared into Pyrrha's soul. "A choice…" he repeated, his voice oddly low. "Come with me - I can grant you power beyond comprehension, and together we can lay waste to those that did this to him." Nihilus gestured to his counterpart's body, his bone-like fingers almost skeletal, "Or you can leave. Abandon Beacon, leave Vale and never become a huntress - live your life, free of the death and horrors a hunter walks through."

Pyrrha stared at him. What choices were those? She could never abandon becoming a huntress; it had been her dream since she was a little girl, all she had ever wanted to do with herself. She had never wanted a complicated life. Become a huntress, and later start a family - just enjoying life to its fullest while still helping those around her. The other option was even worse though. That would be a betrayal of her very ideals, of everything she had ever stood for. Power and strength were tools to help people, not ruin them. And what would Jaune have thought? She may not have known him for long, but Jaune wasn't spiteful. Jaune was kind, never wishing harm on others - especially if it was on his behalf.

Something behind Nihilus caught her attention, a flash of brilliant red hair to match her own. It was her… Violet, Pyrrha's _not_ daughter. She stood there now, her gorgeous eyes staring at Pyrrha in sorrow. Her little hands clutched at a bloody red hole in her chest, the wound a sick mirror of what had been done to Jaune. _Please_ , she mouthed, _don't say it._

But Pyrrha had already made up her mind, her will resolute in the face of both the daughter that could never be, and her sick parody of a father. "No."

"No?" Nihilus parroted, his head tilting slightly at Pyrrha's proclamation.

Pyrrha's gaze became wrathful. She rejected the 'choices' offered by Nihilus. They weren't real - just a hollow lie. "You said his soul was leaving," she hissed, angrier than she had ever been, "I know you, Nihilus - your mastery over aura is absolute. You can save him!"

Nihilus was silent for a moment, his blind blue eyes absolutely blank.

"I know you can!" Pyrrha continued, true anger pulsing in her heart, "Save him now, save him or I'll…" She ripped her rifle off her back, her hands shaking at the thought of what she was about to do. "Do it, or it'll happen again!"

She pressed the barrel of her beloved weapon against her chest, her fingers poised to pull the trigger and blast a hole through her own heart. If Nihilus was truly Jaune, if he had truly lived his life and had a daughter with his own Pyrrha, and if she had truly died, then he should be unable to see it happen again. Unable to _let_ it happen again.

Nihilus' bone-white face contorted in true horror; his skeletal hands inched forwards towards her gun, but Pyrrha jerked away - Nihilus had to make his choice.

There was a moment of tense silence, the air so thick it could almost be cut with a knife.

But eventually Nihilus' gaze dropped to the body at their feet. "Is this what you want?"

Pyrrha glared daggers at him, utterly ignoring the wild flailing of the ghostly form of Violet - the spectre hysterical at what Pyrrha was forcing Nihilus into. _No!_ She mouthed, no sound escaping her. _Don't!_

"Yes!" Pyrrha hissed, "Do it!"

Nihilus sighed, nodded, and then crumpled to the ground bonelessly.

Pyrrha almost staggered in shock. Out of the seemingly lifeless body of Nihilus rose something… sickening. Looking at it was sickening, the unending maze of pure colour that rose up in the shape of a man. It was almost hypnotic though; the lights that swarmed all around the glowing effigy were a sickening mesh of colours, but in the centre was the most pure, unblemished white Pyrrha had ever laid eyes on. It was damaged though, great rending tears that ran through the mesmerising white and left it bleeding countless shades of grey. Without really understanding why, Pyrrha instantly knew this to be what Nihilus really was - this was his true form, his soul perhaps, but Nihilus nonetheless.

A ghostly white but still utterly mesmerising hand shot out of the brilliant and vile soul of Nihilus. The hand grasped at seemingly nothing but air, but as its grip closed Pyrrha was finally able to spy what the phantom limb had caught.

Something small and white just as Nihilus himself was, it looked so tiny though - hardly even a fraction of the massive soul of Nihilus. The tiny little wisp struggled and writhed in apparent agony at its treatment, its dull white light flaring weakly as Nihilus held it. For a moment Pyrrha didn't know what it was, what Nihilus could possibly be doing… but then the noise started.

The terrible, ungodly noise of the wisp shrieking in torment… the noise of Jaune howling.

"Not much of you left, is there Usurper?" Nihilus' voice was like thunder, so terrible in its power that Pyrrha felt herself shiver.

The wisp howled louder, but Nihilus was having none of it. The vile soul of the false lord swung his spectral arm around, Jaune's own wisp-like essence being dragged for the ride. And in one single motion Nihilus' ghostly arm plunged into the empty body of Jaune.

For a moment nothing happened; even as the ghostly arm of Nihilus' soul retreated, Jaune lay as still and unmoving as the corpse he was.

The spirit of Nihilus slithered down to his own inanimate body, the multicoloured beast vanishing as pale white skin and heart began to beat again. A moment later Nihilus was on his feet, pale blue eyes utterly ignoring Pyrrha in favour of staring at the still-dead body of Jaune. With a light chuckle the dark lord bent downwards, a gleaming silver ring suddenly appearing in his hand as if it had always been there. "An anchor…" he muttered as he jammed the corrupted jewelry onto Jaune's left hand.

Pyrrha stared at the scene before her, unsure as to what exactly was going on. She opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly found herself stunned into silence as Jaune's very _alive_ body gasped for air.

Pyrrha stared at Jaune; all his wounds were gone, replaced by unbroken skin. It was all wrong though; only when Pyrrha finally looked into his eyes did she notice this. His eyes screamed, not in pain or any agony Pyrrha could know, with a more primal emotion she simply couldn't understand. "Jaune?" she half-begged, hoping that he really was alive again.

He looked at her, his once vigorous blue eyes so utterly devoid of life. "Kill me…" he whispered, his voice rough and uneven.

"Please… kill me…"

* * *

 **Death, moments earlier...**

Death had been almost freeing in a way.

Jaune had never felt like he did now. Like nothing at all in the world mattered anymore… Sure, looking down at his bloody corpse was mildly distressing, and watching Pyrrha freak out while Nihilus murdered the _not_ Blake was rather concerning. But even those things just felt… irrelevant. It wasn't really important anymore, nothing was really important anymore. Jaune just felt like drifting away now… ebbing away because none of it really mattered.

It was peaceful really, like just letting the tide lap at his feet gently… he felt like he could just drift away happily and that was totally fine… drip by drip, he accepted the comforting absence he seemed to be fading into. Vaguely, he saw two people standing over his body, who were they again? It wasn't important… not really…

Oh… someone else was here too? Someone who was so totally colourful, a heart of white with bleeding greys and a skin of endless vibrant tones of colour. That was nice…

It stopped him.

The presence that seemed to wrap itself around Jaune was suffocating; all the peace and apathy that had been there moments ago died a sudden and ugly death as Jaune found himself gripped by something so _hurt_ and _broken_ that he could hardly comprehend it. Jaune couldn't help but wail as the ghostly presence constricted him, the feeling of world-destroying fury wrapping around Jaune and binding him to the cold world.

"Not much of you left, is there Usurper?"

The voice was the quietest of whispers, the barest of tickles to Jaune's hollow soul. And yet at the same time it seemed to bind and constrict him with its terrible power.

Jaune wailed and thrashed around as the terrible whisper dragged him back from the peaceful abyss he had been moving towards. Back in the world of cold and pain Jaune saw Pyrrha, her face both angry and horrified at whatever she thought she was seeing.

Without hesitation, the _hurt_ and _broken_ thing that held him jammed Jaune into the shattered, ruined and cold body on the ground. Jaune thrashed for freedom, but he couldn't escape the utterly alien prison he found himself in - despite the numerous cracks and holes in the cage that bound him.

Jaune couldn't help but watch in horror as the _hurt_ and _broken_ thing peeled away a single white shard of its own soul, the writhing fragment existing freely for only a moment before the _destroyer_ bound it to a tiny little ring. "An anchor…" that terrible whisper again, like something so terribly _damaged_ spreading through the air.

But it was _wrong_. The _hurt_ and _broken destroyer_ forced the ring onto the shell-like cage Jaune struggled against.

The world around Jaune snapped into sharp clarity. The image of Pyrrha and Nihilus faded away quickly into utter blackness, lacking in any shape or form – just the unrelenting absence of everything and anything.

Except… the ring.

The _new_ ring.

In the sea of darkness, Jaune felt an impossible crushing force assault him from all sides, the terrible weight of Jaune's own spirit sagging and dragging him to depths he couldn't possibly fathom. Then a moment later he felt it stop; the weight shifted and changed, Jaune felt himself become impossibly light - his body felt like it was being ripped apart by itself, like his heart was going to push his ribs apart simply by beating in his chest.

But then he came.

The pure white being again, seemingly the same one as when Jaune accepted the first ring. "You died," it whispered, the crushing force slamming back into Jaune like a tidal wave, "you died and you didn't even care."

Jaune tried to scream, but suddenly the pressure lessened again - replaced by the feeling that he would explode just for existing.

"All your hopes, all your dreams… washed away in a single instant… and you didn't care."

Jaune tried to wail, to cry even, but his body failed him.

The white being grinned madly. "But that's the thing, you see. You're _mad_. And madness, as you know, is a lot like gravity; all you need is a little _push_."

Jaune felt himself tumble through the endless void around him, but now he _understood_. Force and gravity were mindless, just slogging ever onwards. But he could be its master, its ruler - the thing that defined _why_ it did what it did.

Suddenly, Jaune found that the crushing force around him didn't matter so much anymore. It almost tickled, really. "I understand," he whispered.

The dark world around Jaune bled away, replaced by the blinding light of Pyrrha and Nihilus as they stood over him.

It was _wrong_ though. Jaune felt like so much less now than he used to be, like something in him was just _gone_ … Pyrrha stared at him, her emerald eyes searching his face. That didn't matter though; Jaune felt it, the _cancer_ of the world around him - and how he too was equally as corrupted. There was nothing he could do, nothing anyone could do… nothing really mattered anymore.

"Jaune?"

It was Pyrrha, her voice just as vile and corrupted at the rest of the world. He didn't want it. He didn't want any of it. He had been at peace, or very nearly there anyway… why couldn't they have just let him die? Then he wouldn't have to suffer through the wretched experience of existing. "Kill me…" he whispered, "Please… kill me…"

Why couldn't he just die?

 **A/N**

 **Jaune lives! Some of you probably expected his resurrection at some point, but did you see it happening like this?**

 **But at what cost is Jaune now alive? He's going to be different, changed even, from what he was. Bear in mind Nihilus' exact words as he brought Jaune back, and think about what Jaune experienced 'on the other side' - Pyrrha made quite the mistake in getting Nihilus to revive Jaune.**

 **That aside, let's look at reviews:**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Actually, considering what's gonna happen later… well, let's just say Nihilus has a very ironic sense of humour.**

 **COOLER:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I'll take that as a complement - school is hard at times but very rewarding in the end. And the clues are important, this I swear.**

 **You picked right up on that hint, Jaune's soul was 'flailing about' as he was slowly fading away. And indeed, the Ring was a test (the first ring anyway, the second is… well, you'll see…), but it was a test Jaune failed.**

 **Cinder being recognised as a villain (with decent evidence) isn't done very often, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. Not that it made much difference when young Nihilus tried to capture her…**

 **Du:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Life does indeed suck sometimes, or in the case of Yang and now Blake - sometimes life gets sucked out of you.**

* * *

 **Thanks for reading, and please leave a review!**


	22. Blind Horror

Wraith

Chapter Twenty-Two

Beta: Smithrooks

Blind Horror

 **Vale, present day…**

Jaune felt _wrong_.

The wretched experience of existing was absolutely vile, the sensation of being alive when he knew that he shouldn't be. Most people would be pleased that they had avoided their death - but that was just it. Jaune _hadn't_ avoided his death. He'd actually died. He'd actually died and had been washed away by the soothing feeling of nothing really mattering anymore. His existence felt wrong, _forced_ in a way he could hardly comprehend.

Was he even Jaune Arc anymore? He felt like so much less now than he used to be. Like he'd had great chunks of himself just wiped away. Any emotion other than rage, disgust and sorrow felt like an absence in his soul; like he could remember the sensation of feeling things, but he couldn't actually feel them anymore.

Damn Nihilus for doing this to him. What gave him the right to decide who lived and who died? What gave him the right to bring Jaune back from the peaceful abyss he'd been wading into? Everything had just felt so _right_ , so very peaceful and safe. Nothing had hurt, nothing had even been of the slightest discomfort… Being alive again made the contrast so much worse; the sensation of _experiencing_ this wretched existence was absolutely vile.

"Jaune…?"

Pyrrha… she was looking at him aghast, her emerald-green eyes wide with horror at Jaune's pleading for her to kill him. Couldn't she see that he wasn't meant to be here? Couldn't she see that he was meant to be dead?

"Jaune," her voice was practically begging now, "what… what's wrong?"

What's wrong? How could she ask that? How _dare_ she ask that! He had been mere moments away from the most peaceful rest, and then he was robbed of it thanks to Nihilus! Why didn't she see that this was all wrong? Why didn't she see that _he_ was all wrong!

Fury threatened to overwhelm Jaune for a moment, but almost as soon as it came it was washed away under a wave of crushing despair. Of course Pyrrha didn't understand, how could she? She had nothing to go off, no basis for comparison. Jaune knew himself to be a freak and a murderer, and that alone was enough to warrant his death… but now, even despite that, he felt he simply shouldn't be alive.

"Pyrrha…" Jaune muttered, slowly rising to his feet. It wasn't her fault; she wasn't the one that did this to him. That was Nihilus. "I'm not meant to be here. It _hurts_."

Pyrrha opened her mouth, but Nihilus cut her off. "You're cursed now," the false lord looked at Jaune with a strange mixture of disgust and curiosity on his ashen face, "whatever fate you could have had has been robbed of you. No matter how far you run, no matter where you hide, the pervasive stench of death will cling to your rotting spirit until such a time when there is nothing left."

Jaune felt a pulse of anger throb through his weary mind as Nihilus spoke. He was the one that had done this to him, the one that had damned him. And that's all he had to say for it? Mindless drivel that meant nothing to anyone but the speaker.

"What did you do to him?!" Pyrrha practically howled in Nihilus' face.

Nihilus only cackled however, his sickly yellow eyes alight with naught but madness. "Can't you see?" he laughed louder, "I brought him back! Like the Lord of Sorrow, he is now naught but a _broken phantasm_ , a pale image of what he used to be, the last dregs of a soul bound to the frail cage of a mortal vessel!"

The words probably meant little to Pyrrha, but to Jaune they were like a stab in the heart. That pretty much confirmed it then; Jaune was less now than he used to be, a shadow of the actual Jaune Arc - the man who died. "It's okay," Jaune whispered finally, the lie painfully apparent to those listening. "I… just leave me here. I don't… I don't want to do anything anymore…"

It was obvious enough that Pyrrha would never kill him like Jaune had asked, and Nihilus would probably find some sadistic amusement in letting Jaune live with the now vile experience of being alive. If they left him… he could find someone, anyone, who could kill him. Suicide could have been an option… but Jaune was _afraid_ \- not of death, he knew the joy of that now - but of _pain_. It would hurt, no matter how he did it…

"No!" Pyrrha grabbed Jaune roughly and forced him to look at her, "Jaune, it's okay, we can still fix whatever he did to you! We can make this right!"

"'Make this right'?" Nihilus cackled from nearby, "'whatever _he_ did to you'? You forget yourself little illusion, _you_ asked for this. _You_ wanted him to return, _you_ are the one that prayed for this _miracle_ to happen." Nihilus' grin turned sinister, "I know the suffering of the undying, I carry with me the soul of Sorrow - and he is as twisted and corrupt as the Usurper is. I myself am no better than dear, sweet _Jaune_."

Jaune stared at Pyrrha. She had wanted this? She was the one that had forced this wretched existence on him? But… but why? Pyrrha was kind; Pyrrha should have known better… why couldn't she have just let him die…?

It wasn't anger that coursed through Jaune; instead it was unbearable sadness. He was so much less now than he used to be, so much smaller and insignificant in ways he could hardly even comprehend. All because of a person he had thought was his friend, of a person he had trusted - a trust that had become so strong in such a short time, so utterly important to Jaune. But now he could see that it was little more than a lie. Jaune was truly alone…

The betrayed look must have shown on Jaune's face, since Pyrrha rushed to speak. "I didn't want to be left alone!" Jaune couldn't bear to look at her as she pleaded, "Please Jaune, stay with me."

"Oh, fear not dear illusion," Nihilus practically sang, "the cursed one here has given me a gift beyond compare, and for that I will reward him by staying by his side - just as he shall stay by mine!"

"Gift?" Jaune whispered. Why couldn't they just let him die? "What are you talking about?"

Nihilus didn't say anything, his mouth twisting into a feral grin as his arms lashed out and clutched at something unseen to both observers. The manic look of total joy on the dark lord's face escalated beyond what a human face should be capable of as he brought his cupped hands closer to his chest, his bony fingers clutched tightly around something hidden as though it were the greatest treasure the world had to offer.

"This boy," Nihilus nodded to Jaune, "gave me the gift of his insight, something I had thought him lacking in." Slowly, he moved his right hand away, revealing what he so desperately coveted. "And for that, I will grant him every pleasure the world has to offer: the joy that comes from serving me."

It was a small thing, little more than a glowing pinprick hovering above the ash-white hand. But it was unmistakable, even to those that knew nothing of the soul: the small, incredibly faint stab of exquisite violet light could only be one thing.

Jaune couldn't help but shiver in horror as Nihilus clutched at the _tiny_ little soul shard, deep empathy unlike anything he had ever experienced before oozing about his psyche - he knew the sensation of being clutched at by the dead god.

"Rejoice," Nihilus whispered in reverence, "for you shall be reborn, Violet. Daddy will make sure of it."

* * *

 **Vale, many years ago…**

As a general rule, Jaune tended to avoid going into Vale.

People tended to stare, children tended to call him names, and he just felt uncomfortable. The few exceptions were whenever he needed to go buy Dust, which he tended to do in bulk so he could avoid making the trip too often.

Even when Jaune had his team with him, people tended to make things awkward for him. Nothing overt - having three burly guys surrounding you tended to make people more subtle, but in some ways that was worse. At least when Jaune was alone people didn't automatically assume he was an invalid who needed help to get around.

"Stop spacing out."

Jaune sighed as Cardin walked next to him, Sky and Dove trailing behind a little bit. He loved his team, really, he did. But Cardin was obsessed with the idea of presenting a 'strong and unified front' when in public - which was fine, but to Cardin that also seemed to include not allowing any team members to look even the slightest bit distracted or anything other than attentive to the task at hand.

"Yes, Cardin," Jaune muttered eventually.

They were in Vale for their first official mission; being 'junior detectives' as their current handler had called them. When they'd first selected this particular mission that monkey Faunus with a yellowish aura from the docks had complained rather loudly that he had wanted that one, but seeing as it was the only mission within the city where Jaune could see any possible attackers - not that he was expecting to - Sun's compassion got the better of him and he allowed Cardin to steal the mission out from under him.

Though calling this a mission was kind of a stretch. Their handler was a veteran detective who was currently investigating a recent string of Dust robberies - except apparently he'd been speaking to Ozpin about Jaune's skill in aura sight. Normally that wouldn't be a problem, except the man seemed to think that this was either a massive weakness or a massive advantage - he'd told Jaune and the guys to go to one of the recently robbed shops and 'detect' things.

What the hell was that even meant to mean? Aura left smears; that was how Jaune saw things that aren't alive, but _all_ aura left smears - meaning that unless Jaune looked at the crime scene before _anyone_ else got there, his ability would be fairly useless.

"So…" Sky muttered, his blue aura showing quite clearly that he was bored out of his mind. "Can you see anything?"

They'd been pacing around the crime scene for about twenty minutes now, which made things much harder considering that people with their aura unlocked - his team - tended to let more aura seep out, thus contaminating the area even further.

"I see lots of things," Jaune growled, not bothering to hide his frustration. "None of them particularly useful or interesting right now."

And really, there had been at least a dozen people to pass through here since the crime - anything Jaune could see now was useless and irrelevant.

"This is just a waste of time," Dove commented, "we should just-"

A buzz from Jaune's scroll interrupted whatever the other boy was going to say.

What was with people wanting to contact Jaune so much recently? At least whoever this was had the decency to call him rather than text - this way Jaune could just answer the call after a bit of fumbling around to find the answer button.

As soon as he answered there was a rush of noise; the methodic clacking of metal hitting metal, and the terribly familiar and discomforting sound of Grimm howling. Whoever was calling was rather preoccupied, it seemed.

"Hello?" Jaune asked cautiously, choosing to ignore the agitated auras of his teammates and the terrible noise his scroll was making. "Who is this?"

"Hey Jaune!" that was Ruby. She sounded rather… distressed? Agitated? Jaune couldn't quite tell.

"Ruby? Aren't you on your mission?" Jaune asked, "Why are you-"

"Yeah, that's great and all!" she interrupted, "But I need a favour real quick, me and the girls are on a train about to crash into Vale from underneath the city and there's like, an army of Grimm following us, also a couple dozen White Fang guys in stolen Atlas Paladins trying to kill us. Do me a favour and call Professor Goodwitch or something and get us backup!"

Jaune wasn't quite sure what to say to that. "Ruby, I-"

"K, thanks bye!"

She hung up.

Jaune was silent for a moment, not entirely sure exactly how one was meant to respond to a call like that. Why couldn't things be easy? Why couldn't he get calls about how nice the weather is? Why did it always have to be serious and stressful things?

"I'm… going to call Professor Goodwitch…" Cardin muttered, having unashamedly listened to the entire conversation.

Jaune nodded distractedly; Ruby had said that they were about to crash into Vale from 'underneath' the city. How was that even possible? Jaune wasn't aware of any tunnels or tracks below the city… but he wasn't aware of a great many things, so it was possible he simply didn't know.

With a strained sigh, Jaune began to 'stretch' out his vision, letting his aura sight expand as far as he was able to make it go. Normally he didn't bother letting his 'sight' expand any further than about one hundred metres in any given direction - anything more tended to give him a headache if he didn't moderate himself. But with his full attention going towards his sight, Jaune found his range of vision expanding to nearly three kilometres in every direction.

Almost instantly he felt a throb in his head from the strain, not dissimilar to the ache he got from using soul sight, but slightly stronger. The chaos of the city around them came into sharp focus almost painfully, but instead of letting that stop him Jaune turned his attention downwards - beneath the city.

At first he saw nothing, just indistinct grey spaces where no living thing had ever existed; that was probably just dirt and stone. But after a few moments, something came into clarity. It was old… that much was clear, old smears of aura in an… empty space… tunnel leading out from beneath the centre of Vale. Whatever living being had once walked those paths was long since gone however, as the smears left behind by their aura were so faint that Jaune nearly missed it.

And beyond that… was a train. Holy shit, a train with not only Professor Oobleck and Team RWBY on it, but also a metric fuckton of other people too. Probably the White Fang Ruby had mentioned. Except… that train was going _really_ fast, very nearly about to breach into the city based on that speed alone - a speed which would turn anyone without their aura unlocked into a fine red mist as soon as they broke into Vale proper.

"We…" Jaune nearly stuttered, the full enormity of the situation beginning to dawn on him, "we need to get to the plaza."

Cardin and the others didn't move.

"NOW!" Jaune roared, finally getting control of his quivering nerves.

The train was literally less than a minute away from smashing into Vale, and if Ruby was right about the horde of Grimm following behind the train then people would die; casualties would be catastrophic even if they were only lesser Grimm like Beowolves or Boarbatusks.

The other three boys snapped into action, Cardin quickly stowing away his scroll - apparently he'd called Goodwitch while Jaune had been searching for the train. With a kind of haste the four of them only reserved for true emergencies, team WASB began their mad sprint towards the city plaza. They weren't far, only a street over… but Jaune wasn't sure they'd get there in time. The train was moving too fast, its speed great enough to break its own path into the city.

When they arrived, the plaza was full of civilians as per usual. But now Jaune could see that they had mere moments, just a few short seconds before everyone in the large open area was turned into a red smear at best and Grimm food at worst.

"Everyone!" Cardin roared, his voice booming louder than Jaune would have thought possible, "This is an emergency! Grimm are about to break into the city! I need to you evacuate NOW!"

The silence was deafening for just a moment, but a second later everyone burst into a panic. The vast majority made a mad dash out of the area, but a smaller group ran towards Cardin - probably correctly assuming him to be a hunter.

Nearly forty people bowled into WASB, all of them seeking some kind of protection.

But not a second later, it happened.

For a moment, all Jaune could feel was the noise, then he felt the terrible ache of his ears popping. The entire world shifted and surged outwards in a single instant, concrete and stone exploding upwards as the train crashed to a sudden, shuddering stop. Vaguely, Jaune noted that RWBY and Oobleck were in the centre of it all, but his mind was too preoccupied to really make that connection.

Dozens of people hadn't been fast enough to get out of the plaza - the thunderous 'explosion' and the shrapnel shredded through their bodies like tissue paper. But it was _wrong_. Jaune had never 'seen' anything die using aura sight, but now he couldn't help but gape in surprise as their auras suddenly just… cut off. Like turning off a tap, the flow just… ended.

But more shocking still… was when Jaune desperately tried to use his soul sight to see if there were any survivors he could help… all the souls were still there. All the people that had died; their souls hung over their respective corpses like a miasma, all flailing about and fading slowly. Was this what happened after death?

A sudden roar snapped Jaune from his shock, his mind going blank in terror as he realised something. Grimm. He couldn't see them… but he could sense their presence, dozens if not hundreds all around him… and he couldn't see them.

Never before had Jaune felt so… blind.

 **A/N**

 **A bit of a shorter one this week, but I have exams… literally tomorrow and then Wednesday and Thursday this week. So I think I can be excused for being a little pressed for finding time to write this.**

 **So who expected Nihilus to find Violet? Most of you probably, but it's still exciting! Especially given that Nihilus is now bent on ensuring she is 'reborn' - whatever that may be.**

 **And dear younger Nihilus is also in quite the pickle isn't he? Trapped between a Grimm and, well, a bigger Grimm! At least he has his team though.**

 **That said, onto the reviews:**

 **PhantomStranger:**

 **Thanks for reviewing!**

 **Nihilus is an arse, that is practically beyond question. And while he did indeed bring back an incomplete Jaune, it was based on the assumption that Jaune was like Nihilus - which he is not. You'll see what I mean next chapter, but Nihilus made a… miscalculation with reviving Jaune.**

 **You were… kind of right! Violet has been noticed. But she, as this particular version of her always has, is bound to Nihilus. So long as he exists, so shall she.**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I won't take that bet, I don't like losing.**

 **thelastcenturion2015:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Thank you! I try to avoid doing things the conventional way, it makes thing more exciting if it's unique.**

 **Cooler:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Nope! That's pretty much what I was going for - Jaune isn't meant to be alive, he is unnatural now.**

 **By the time Nihilus arrived in the other world (chapter 1) he has a ring for every finger, and each right fits a specific purpose. The first ring he gave Jaune is indeed one of the first two he obtained just prior to the paladin incident, the second however, is not. The second ring he gave Jaune he got later in life, but you'll see that soon enough.**

 **Nihilus doesn't have any kind of foresight, but he does have excellent situational awareness. Remembering that in the 'many years ago' segments (over a decade ago for him) young Nihilus can 'see' in every direction for about 200 meters without straining himself. The Nihilus of the present is much** _ **, much**_ **more skilled than this.**

 **Nihilus has a penchant for giving out titles, and if one were aware of his entire history then they tend to make more sense. In regards to what got her killed in his world… there was no scheme, no 'dark stuff' that either he or she were involved in. Pyrrha was killed for no other reason than she associated with him.**

 **Jaune still has both the rings, for good or worse. Though to say that he is at the same level as the young Nihilus in the 'many years ago segments' is wrong. Jaune has got literally every single drop of information on the use of fire Dust as well as a second (work that one out yourself) type now. Young Nihilus still has to blunder around and work it out for himself.**

 **Nihilus is messed up for many reasons, but his apparent insanity was explained back in chapter 2 - the Maiden power was the final push into proper insanity. Nihilus is technically already dead… kinda… and if the inclination struck him then he could pass on at any moment - but he's too angry for that, he still has his task to fulfill and he will never** _ **ever**_ **stop until that is done.**

 **The exact words Jaune heard when he got the second ring will make sense next chapter, especially given what Jaune experienced when he died.  
**

 **Guest:**

 **Thanks for the longest review I have ever received!**

 **I had drawn a comparison to Cell and Nihilus, but never with Gael (I have played all three Dark Souls games, though I admit it's been awhile). I can see the similarities though.**

 **I'm always open to receiving suggestions, so let's go through them one at a time:**

 **I try to clarify things in the author's notes because I am fully aware that the nature of what I'm writing can be vague at times. I try not to give much away, but I'm a sucker for hints regarding later plot development  
**

 **I am a full time college student planning on going to university next year, add to that I have a plethora of other responsibilities within my martial arts club. I am also in top ten practitioners of Jo-do in my state. I am** _ **extremely**_ **busy. Chapter length is as good as it's going to get I'm afraid, I can't help that.  
**

 **The reader isn't meant to understand every detail of what's going on, that is actually intentional on my part. The answers are there if one looks closely and reads** _ **each word**_ **carefully.**

 **It sounds like you're referring to my first story, but I'm not quite sure. But although I tend not to bother broadcasting it, I put emphasis on the single thing that** _ **everyone**_ **can relate to: Desire. Everyone** _ **wants**_ **something. That is a single universal truth for all humans.**

 **That's because some parts of this story** _ **are**_ **rushed.**

 **Penny is a machine, inhuman and false - and she never showed any remorse in canon for the people she likely killed at the docks. No remorse is shown for the alternate RWBY because few people actually know about them, to everyone else they are just nameless hunters that failed to stop Nihilus. Nihilus went crazy for other reasons, he would have attempted to get revenge regardless of his sanity. Ruby and Yang it's equal parts revenge and necessity (you'll see later), and why they wanted (and technically succeeded) to kill Jaune becomes**

 _ **very**_ **clear when you find out the full extent of what Nihilus has done.**

 **I'd say fear of being stabbed is fairly rational, though that could just be me I suppose. And yes, that was fairly rushed on my part - I know. But I needed, and still need, to move things along in the 'many years ago' segments quickly, there is a lot to cover.**

 **I try not to let things stagnate, so I like to keep things moving forwards pretty quickly.  
**

 **I try to (within reason) keep the characters true to canon, barring any shifts caused by plot elements. I don't want to write a Ray or some such nonesense.**

 **If you have anything further you'd like to comment on or discuss I am happy to speak to you about it.**

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and please leave a review!**


	23. Noble Phantasm

Wraith

Chapter Twenty Three

Beta: Smithrooks

Noble Phantasm

 **Vale, many years ago…**

People were screaming.

It was almost deafening; the chaotic cacophony of noise as people screamed, the staccato of uneven gunfire. People pushed against Jaune and his teammates like a wave, all trying to force their way past the young hunters in a vain attempt to get away from the Grimm that were no doubt swarming the area - the very Grimm that Jaune couldn't see.

But he could hear them, the enraged howls and screams of hate as they tore into anything and everything around them. The vicious noises of the creatures that wished for nothing more than to end all humanity and everything humanity has ever made. But Jaune was blind to them - not even the barest hint of their existence revealed itself to his blind eyes. Logically, the absence should be their most telling feature for Jaune - the lack of anything in a world so full of everything.

But that wasn't the case; they just _weren't there_. Try as he might, Jaune just couldn't see the Grimm that now assailed Vale - he was truly blind. He could only see one person he'd consider an enemy: The Prick. Why was Roman Torchwick here? Why would he do _this?_ The man was an arse, but he didn't seem the genocidal type. Though… his burnt orange aura pulsed with just as much fear and agitation as everyone else. Maybe this was a coincidence?

"Jaune!"

The roar of Cardin in Jaune's ear snapped the blind boy out of his panic, the team leader roughly grasping Jaune's right shoulder and giving it a violent shake. "Damn it Jaune!" he shouted, "Get your shit together!"

The panicked rush of people was still pressing against them, but Jaune had found his clarity - all the souls rushed and scrambled about in their frenzy, but Cardin reeled Jaune's attention back into the moment. "I'm fine!" Jaune gasped, still struggling against the press of bodies that tried to escape the overrun plaza, "I can't see them! How many are there?!"

Cardin's aura practically winced as Jaune reminded him of his worthlessness in the current situation, but the larger boy quickly got a hold of himself, as would be expected of any hunter. "Too many!" he grunted, "Team RWBY is pinned down in the centre of the plaza, there are more Grimm than I can count and there are civilians all over the place!"

Not good, the civilian casualty count alone would be staggering if this continued as is; add to that the damages caused by the Grimm? It would be enough to put Vale into an economic crisis, especially considering the upcoming Vytal Festival.

"What do we do?!" Dove cried from nearby, struggling to get past the panicking civilians and to the Grimm.

Jaune… Jaune didn't know. What _could_ he do? Fight the Grimm? He was just as likely to cause property damage or accidentally do friendly fire. The others might be able to help, but… people would still die, and even at just a glance Jaune could tell that RWBY didn't have the aura to put up much of a fight anymore - they needed help. "We need to help RWBY!" Jaune shouted, struggling against the tide of bodies to stay with his team.

"No!" Sky shouted from nearby, "RWBY knew what they signed up for, the civilians should be our priority!"

"Damn it!" Cardin swore, slapping a civilian aside and crushing an unseen Grimm all in a single motion, "RWBY can handle themselves! We need to protect the civvies until help arrives!"

"We can't just leave them!" Jaune cried. RWBY needed help! They wouldn't last out there!

Cardin spun around and grabbed Jaune roughly by the collar, "I'm the leader!" he barked, "Do as I say and we'll all make it out of this!"

With a grunt Cardin whirled around and attacked at another creature unseen to Jaune's blind gaze, his silvery blue spirit resolute in its fury to destroy the beasts attacking Vale.

Jaune grimaced, every moral and ethical part of his mind telling him that the correct course of action was to go and save RWBY… but Cardin and Sky were in the majority here. It would be suicide for him to try and help RWBY on his own - they had to act united, or not act at all.

"Fine!" Jaune snarled, his frustration at the whole situation showing through, "Civilians first!"

Cardin smashed at something else Jaune couldn't see, but even over the deafening noise he could hear the oddly satisfying crunch of bones being turned to powder. "Sky, Dove!" Cardin commanded, "You two are on Guard. Jaune, initiate Fortress and then Spotter!"

Three commands, three different operations being carried out at once. It as an idea adapted from what they'd seen RWBY do in a team spar once - a pre-planned action or series of actions to be carried out upon Cardin's orders. Guard was the easy one; just protect whatever the current objective was - in this case the civilians. Fortress… was less easy. It was based off what he'd done in the last team match against NRVR, except… bigger.

Jaune let the earth Dust slip into his hands - and it was both of them for something this big - with the feeling of both panic and resignation pooling in his gut. He never liked this; he much preferred fire, gravity and lightning.

With a grunt, the stone and concrete ground of the plaza seemed to shift as though it were alive, Jaune's will demanding it bend to his control. Not a moment later the sound of rending stone split through the air, only barely overshadowing that of the chaotic melee in the centre of the plaza.

Like the name implied, the purpose of this manoeuvre was to create a fortress. And Jaune had done… well, perhaps not exactly that, but as close as one could conceivably get under such circumstances.

A massive, circular, stone 'fortress' had sprouted around them, only about as tall as Jaune himself was but wide enough in circumference to protect all the fleeing civilians - and to stop them from running away and making it harder to protect them. The energy required for making something so large was massive, and Jaune felt a chunk of his aura slip away as the walls rose.

But the result was worth it - a barrier between the panicking civilians and the Grimm to regroup behind, as well as stage their offensive from.

The civilians were still screaming and panicking as they ran around like chickens with their heads cut off, but they couldn't escape and make things harder now. It would be infinitely easier to protect them if they were contained to one area. With his first task completed, Jaune mounted his makeshift wall alongside Cardin, the second order ringing in his mind. _Spotter_ was something of an emergency plan; Jaune had the most outright destructive abilities, but two primary factors held him back in a fight - he couldn't see Grimm, and all the powers that caused mass devastation took him a few moments to gather himself. Spotter solved this; Cardin would guard him and kill anything that got too close, and when an attack was ready Cardin would point Jaune to the area that was to be annihilated.

Lightning was to be Jaune's tool of destruction today, as it tended to jump between targets better than fire did - and it cooked Grimm just as well. "Over there!" Cardin gestured to a seemingly blank area not far from RWBY, though Jaune knew that if Cardin said so then it was probably packed to the brim with Grimm.

With a shout of anger, Jaune let loose a thunderous storm of lightning, his hands twitching and convulsing in a not unpleasant way as he cooked the Grimm before him. The smell that assaulted his nose was disgusting - but it was also an excellent indicator that his attack had hit something.

"Jaune!" RWBY were fighting their way closer, but they were still going so slowly… their auras were so low now, barely a flicker of what they were normally. "Jaune!" That was Yang, her voice booming out loudly as she called his name. "We need help!"

The other three were probably calling out as well, but he couldn't hear them. The chaos of the battle was too loud for that; he could barely hear Yang as it was. They would survive, of that Jaune had no doubt. So… knowing that… and with his current orders, Jaune made his choice.

Lightning burst from his now-smoking hands and surged to the far side of the ruined plaza, far from RWBY, and towards where a group of civilians were being… eaten, by the looks of it. Whatever Grimm had been there was cooked as soon as the energy hit. The howls of lupine agony implied that it had been a Beowolf, not that it mattered much now.

Jaune could practically taste the terror that surrounded him; the panicking, throbbing souls of the enclosed civilians behind him. Those that were still trapped outside his makeshift wall… the fear of RWBY and his own team as well. It was like a tidal wave that threatened to drown him if he wasn't careful.

And all that… made Jaune angry.

Furious, even.

Things weren't meant to be this way. Grimm weren't meant to get into Vale. Jaune was meant to be able to fight them, to beat back the darkness that encroached even now. Hunters were meant to protect people… and what was Jaune doing now? Watching them die. The ones within his little fortress were safe enough with Sky and Dove manning the walls and keeping them alive, but the ones outside… they were dying in the dozens, their souls rent from their bodies as the Grimm tore through them.

And worse still, Jaune could _feel_ the endless stream of Grimm that continued to pour from the gaping hole in the ground. He couldn't see them, but he could see the impact they made on their surroundings - and the tunnel was practically shaking with the force of hundreds of the foul creatures stampeding towards Vale.

Vale… where thousands of people lived. His father was even in the city somewhere, though Jaune had no idea where exactly. If all these Grimm made it into the city… Vale would fall. That much was certain. It would be a slow and drawn-out death; people fighting and clawing to survive, their terror and sorrow only serving to strengthen the Grimm and draw more into the city.

Jaune didn't have enough earth Dust to even attempt plugging the hole, let alone make a barrier strong enough to actually hold all those Grimm back. He had his usual copious amounts of fire and gravity Dust, some air Dust, a rapidly dwindling supply of lightning Dust, and a single half-drained earth Dust crystal left.

What could he do? People were dying. Through both facets of his sight, Jaune could _feel_ the suffering of all those around him. The exquisite agony that many faced as their lives were stolen from them, the pain _everyone_ would face if the horde made it into the city.

"Jaune!"

It was Yang again, more desperate this time. She and the rest of RWBY had reached his wall; they had a small group of civilians with them. Easily less than ten or so, but they were still enough that the girls had to slow down and protect them.

This time, Jaune answered the call. "Right!" the section of wall they had their backs to crumbled to powder easily as Jaune pushed the last of his earth Dust to its limits.

The girls and their charges rushed in, and not a moment later the wall was back up again… and Jaune made his choice.

He had promised to save everyone… swore to himself and Ruby that he would save the world. But…

No. He would do what he had to do.

With the last of his earth Dust, Jaune made himself a tall pillar to stand on, easily towering over his little fortress below.

"Jaune!" Cardin roared, "what the hell are you doing?!"

Jaune ignored him.

Air Dust was a fickle thing, better suited to making a gale rather than what Jaune was planning on doing. The two crystals fell into his hands and he felt the power pool in his rings as he gathered his strength. His already half-spent aura quivered as he forced it downwards, the Dust making his will a reality.

A dome of swirling air sprouted from his hands and covered the little fort beneath him - not enough to actually hurt or harm anyone within, but instead supplying vital air to ensure that no one inside would suffocate during the next phase of Jaune's moronic plan. The dome also served a dual purpose - a weak cyclone of air circled around him now, not even _close_ to being enough to harm any of the Grimm, but enough for step two.

The others were probably shouting at him to stop, demanding to know what he was doing, but they would see in a moment. When he saved them. When he saved all of them…

His two rings were occupied serving as a catalyst for the cyclone and the dome, so the next part was going to be... painful.

Fire Dust was, by its very nature, chaotic and volatile. But Jaune had had months to practice now, months to learn how to bend it to his will and force it to do what he wanted - though he had never practiced quite like this. Jaune opened his mouth, and… howled.

Molten fire poured out of his mouth, his aura providing the spark and the cyclone of air providing the fuel. It was absolute agony since he was working without a catalyst and the flames were roasting him inside and out, but within less than a second the cyclone of swirling air became a hellish cyclone of fire and death.

All the people with Jaune's protective dome were safe of course… all they had to worry about was mild heat stroke at this point. Everyone outside the dome however… that was a different story.

Fire continued to pour from Jaune's mouth as he howled in both agony and rage at the Grimm, the flames roasting him just as much as the fell creatures that assaulted the city.

It hurt, it hurt so badly… the terrible burns were only stopped from killing him thanks to his dangerously low aura - aura that dipped ever lower for every second Jaune kept up his furious inferno. Words couldn't describe the pure torment Jaune felt as he forced his soul to power his attack, the intensely hot flames greedily consuming anything in their path.

He needed more though.

MORE!

There wasn't enough aura, his soul was too small for the task. He needed to direct the flames into the tunnel and roast the many hundreds of Grimm in there, otherwise this would all be for nothing.

But Jaune's aura was spent. He hadn't a mere drop to spare…

MORE!

Jaune roared in unimaginable torment as his aura finally failed and the fire began to consume him unopposed.

This was it. His death. He'd failed, epically so… all that effort, all that suffering, all for nothing.

He didn't want to die, though no one really did. Jaune had sworn to be a hero, to protect the people and uphold justice… and this was how he was going to die? Burnt to ashes by his own attack as he tried, and _failed_ , to save Vale.

 _I failed._

And finally… Jaune died.

* * *

 **Death, many years ago…**

Darkness crept into his vision, the searing pain of the fire fading away until it was distant and little more than a background noise. All memory and emotion faded, all things just… washing away under the gentle pull of something unseen. It was almost peaceful, the soft pull as things began to ebb away under the tide.

Everything began to drift away, and that was okay. All his struggles before now were just so… irrelevant. Pointless upon their inception, and pointless upon their end. Nothing seemed important anymore, no one mattered, and nothing had any real meaning.

But… for some reason, he couldn't quite… let go.

He didn't _want_ to let go.

 _I…_ his thoughts felt like they were coming across a great distance, as if he were wading through thick, muddy water. _I forgot something..._ What was it? Something niggling at his mind. He wanted to just let it go, to fade away. But… what had he forgotten? It… _My name._ He realized. _I forgot… my name…_ How could he forget his name? What was it? The thought was such a vile one, so disgusting, that everything seemed to grind to a stop.

What was his name? He'd heard it every day for seventeen years, so how could he forget it? No, no, no… work backwards; he had a family, what were their names? Sisters, he had sisters… seven of them, what were their names? Think!

 _Violet_. Eldest, eyes matching her name, blonde hair.

 _Hazel_. Blue eyes, blonde hair.

 _Jade._ Green eyes, blonde hair.

 _Amethyst._ Navy eyes, brown hair.

 _Scarlet_. Green eyes, brown hair.

 _Sarah_. Blue eyes, blonde hair.

 _Grace_. Brown eyes, blonde hair.

And… Arc, Jaune.

His name.

That was his name: Jaune Arc.

 _Jaune Arc._ He whispered to himself, a sudden feeling of terror creeping up on his spirit as the tug became greater, his memories practically bleeding away even as he struggled to hold them. _NO!_ He wailed in his mind, he didn't want to lose them. _Violet, Hazel, Jade, Amethyst, Scarlet, Sarah, Grace…_ Their faces were slipping away from him, his memories with his sisters being consumed…

It was like a lance was driven through his mind, a sudden painful awareness of what was happening. That noise, that horrible and utterly agony-inducing sound that was just THERE. It wasn't like it hadn't been there before either, it had always been there – he had just never been able to perceive it.

 _What is that noise?_ His mind screamed, aware of something terrible pounding away at his ears, _what is that damn NOISE?!_ The sound throbbed and ached, something so indescribable in its torment. _It hurts, it hurts so bad…!_

Jaune didn't want to die. He wasn't ready yet! He had too much to do, too many things to achieve… _Where am I?!_ He tried in vain to look around, but only blackness assaulted his senses _. The fire, the fire! It… killed me? I- I can't remember…_

It was all fading, all washing away…

 _Jaune Arc,_ he screamed into the silence, _Oh God it hurts!_ That noise, that horrible noise… but- but he wouldn't give in. He wouldn't let this happen. No, no, no, he couldn't go like this. _This will never work! I- I will never give in!_

 _Jaune…. Arc…_ it felt like his name was being washed away now, screaming it into the void around him was so hard… but he would never allow this. _Violet, Hazel, Jade, Amethyst, Scarlet, Sarah, Grace. Don't- Don't go…_

There was someone there, out in the dark where he couldn't see them. They- they were doing this to him! They were killing him, trying to wipe away everything he was and ever had been.

 _GET OUT OF MY HEAD!_ Jaune howled into the void; this couldn't be happening, this wasn't happening. He wouldn't let everything just fade away. _Out! Get out! PLEASE!_

 **EVERYTHING.**

Jaune tried to scream, but it was deafened by that terrible noise. Still more things faded away, torn away by something unseen to him. That voice, it was so painful to hear. Like just perceiving it was destroying him. Everything was being ripped away, and it hurt so badly. That voice was killing him – it was ruining him. _I- It hurts!_

Why was this happening? What had he done?! He had wanted to help everyone, to save all the people that needed saving. This was crazy, he didn't deserve this! No one deserved this!

Images flashed through his mind: his sisters, his mother, his father, his team. Pyrrha stuck there though, not her aura or soul - Pyrrha, something he'd forgotten. Red hair, green eyes… _Pyrrha, is that you?_ He begged, he screamed. _Don't leave me…! I don't want to be alone! I- I don't want to go!_

 **FORGET EVERYTHING.**

 _No… please… don't let me forget…_ It hurt. It hurt so badly, like his soul was being ripped apart into a thousand pieces… but he didn't want to forget… _Jaune… Arc._ It ached, oh God how it ached. _Violet, Hazel, Jade, Amethyst, Scarlet, Sarah, Grace._ Why did it hurt? Why was this happening?

 **NO MORE WHAT YOU WERE: MEMORIES, EMOTIONS, ALL IS NOW MINE.**

Darkness, and for a single moment Jaune felt like he could simply let it all go… to be at peace in the soothing void. He had the choice, he knew he did. He could just let it go, let it all just wash away and this torment would end. He could sleep; sleep forever in a peaceful, dreamless darkness.

But… Vale. The fire, the Grimm, the people… he couldn't, wouldn't leave them. No, no, no. He made a promise. He swore he would be a saviour, that he would protect anyone that couldn't protect themselves.

 _JAUNE ARC_ , he howled, _Violet, Hazel, Jade, Amethyst, Scarlet, Sarah, Grace!_ He clawed and scratched despite his apparent lack of anything to do that with, a furious anger enveloping his mind. _You will NOT have me!_

Silence, blessed silence. Everything stopped, swirling darkness held still for but a moment.

 **I ACCEPT.**

* * *

 **Vale, many years ago…**

Everything exploded into focus for Jaune. The ebbing of his control over the fire and air Dust, the impossibly gorgeous colours of the world. His aura was empty, as empty as it had been moments before his death just now. And it _had_ been his death – of that he was certain.

But for this single moment, Jaune knew he wasn't alone; he couldn't describe it, but he felt like he was drawing in infinite power from somewhere. Like his soul was swelling from this borrowed strength.

And above it all… Jaune felt _hungry_.

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 **1**

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 **A/N**

 **Okay… shit happened.**

 **So Jaune (Nihilus) just** _ **died**_ **. And there is the single greatest sign that Nihilus and Jaune are different: Jaune just accepted and went with his death (even if it didn't stick) whereas Nihilus clawed and struggled violently to stay alive.**

 **Another interesting thing to take note of is the end of this chapter - Right there is the first time Nihilus ever uses his semblance. And the number at the bottom… can anyone think what that number is? What it means?**

 **Reviews:  
**

 **Shaded Azure:** **  
Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Nihilus is many things, including a dotting father. Though I suppose I can see your point.**

 **Tobi14:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Ruby will do many things in her fight against Nihilus, but she is still Ruby Rose. To make more of those bullets she would have to kill someone that has done nothing wrong, and that she will not do.**

 **Nihilus is OP for many reasons - the most obvious being that he has the full powers of a maiden as well as around fifty years of knowledge on Dust usage taken from Cinder and Amber. This, however, barely scratches the surface with him. It will be explained more next chapter, but Nihilus did something as is now unlike anyone else on Remnant.**

 **Oh, and he does have close quarters skills. He just doesn't bother with using them unless the situation calls for it - which thus far it has not.  
**

 **Nihilus is an extinction level threat - if he felt so inclined then he would quite easily be able to wipe out** _ **everyone**_ **on Remnant. But this isn't what Nihilus wants, never was, never will be. Pyrrha (Nihilus' Pyrrha) was strong, but not on the same scale as her husband.**

 **I couldn't quite… translate the rest of your message. So if you have any further questions or comments please leave them in another review.**

 **Guest:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I try to respond to all reviews, regardless of length or content.**

 **Again, I'm going to try to order this response so it's easier to follow...**

 **The theme is actually preconceptions, more specifically, morality. While equally as unoriginal as desire, it is what I lean on for this story. This is shown through the many years ago segments with the history of Nihilus. In the present day Nihilus is the villain, of that there is no doubt, but I wanted to destroy the 'good' and 'evil' preconception by showing that people aren't just** _ **bad**_ **because they were born that way or something.**

 **Nihilus' speech is meant to be irritating; he speaks about things only he would understand, and then he makes absolutely no effort to try and explain what he meant. When the many years ago segments catches up to the events of chapter one (where I stop writing them basically) Everything Nihilus says will make sense because the reader will have context.**

 **The Lord of Hunger isn't a self given title, the only name he chose for himself was 'Nihilus' - and that was only when he realised that no matter what he did, it would never** _ **matter**_ **. Lord of Hunger is childish and makes him seem like he's just some cliche villain - exactly what the desired result was when he was given that name. They wanted to kill all sympathy for him, and it succeeded.**

 **Nihilus is insane, and while his personality doesn't really resemble that of what it started as (canon), there are reasons for this.**

 **Information censorship would be extremely common on Remnant - for the exact reason shown in Volume 3; the masses getting into a panic and then attracting an army of Grimm. The media wouldn't ever find out that Hunters may accidentally kill people - telling everyone would only cause distrust and panic, and draw Grimm in.**

 **I never said Penny has no emotions, only that she lacks an actual soul. She is a machine - expendable and her 'life' is worthless when compared to that of a human.**

 **Penny is seen destroying Bullheads full of White Fang goons, I would be surprised with any of them survived. As for not caring for civilians, she does - and she is doing what is mathematically the better way of saving as many as possible; killing/capturing Torchwick before he can do anything else (not that she succeeded).**

 **Nihilus' grasp on reality isn't exactly reliable - and he calls Pyrrha illusion because he** _ **refuses**_ **to believe she is alive, not when he** _ **felt**_ **his Pyrrha die. He calls her interloper because he doesn't really appreciate her being there, but tolerates it for Jaune. Oh, and no. The powers of the Ring(s) are still in full effect - Jaune's death makes no difference.**

 **llyNihilus** _ **has**_ **got a melee weapon - and technically it has been shown in the many years ago segments multiple times already. It is not Crocea Mors. He will only ever use this weapon in very specific situations.**

 **I** _ **know**_ **in canon that Jaune is more like a knight - you want to see that? Stop reading fanfiction and go watch RWBY.**

 **Read this carefully: I don't have** _ **time**_ **to make larger chapters. I can't merge chapters if I don't have** _ **time**_ **to make more content. What you see is what you're going to get. In regards to authors notes: I don't explain things, I give hints. I answer reviews, and I answer what questions I can without spoiling anything.**

 **Nihilus' personality is** _ **very**_ **'Jaune-ish'. Very 'Jaune-ish' for the Jaune he grew into, rather than the 17 year old boy with nothing but fluff in his head.**

 **Again, Nihilus** _ **has**_ **a melee weapon - he just doesn't bother using it unless he feels like it.**

* * *

 **Thanks for reading, and please leave a review!**


	24. Mind of Madness

Wraith

Chapter Twenty Four

Beta: Smithrooks

Mind of Madness

 **Vale, many years ago…**

It was like there was a drum beating in the back of his head.

A constant, pounding noise, banging away in his mind.

 _Hungry._

He didn't quite know why he was hungry, or why that word just kept smashing against his thoughts. But right now… he couldn't find it in himself to care.

Pure power unlike anything he had ever perceived before washed over him, his own aura utterly dwarfed by the unrelenting flow of energy. He could almost _taste_ it, the might it gave him, the strength he now held.

But Jaune couldn't stop to marvel over it. He had a mission to complete.

His burn wounds - the ones that had literally killed him - closed and healed over as Jaune exerted his will over the swirling cyclone of air and fire. He didn't know where his unquenchable hunger and power was coming from, but he used it to great effect.

The fire burned hotter and brighter as he guided it away from himself and towards the gaping wound that had allowed the Grimm their passage into the city. Jaune's will was like iron as he commanded the raging inferno into the gap, utterly incinerating anything within. The acrid smell of roasted Grimm permeated the air for mere moments, before the fire consumed that too.

This was what they would get; this is what anyone would get if they _dared_ threaten what he cared for. For this single moment, Jaune was a God - and his will was a reality.

* * *

 **Vale, many years ago…**

Ruby staggered and crashed to the ground.

All around her the same was happening; all the hunters and civilians within the makeshift wall were all hitting the ground like dolls with their strings cut. Ruby didn't know about the others, but she felt her own aura being ripped away from her viciously by something unseen to her. It felt like a great, clawed hand was scraping away at her soul - forcing her to be so much less than she had been mere moments ago.

With what seemed like a herculean effort Ruby rolled onto her back, her silver eyes weakly locking onto the powerful figure of Jaune. How was he still up there? Did he not feel the poisonous sting of the aura drain?

He mustn't. Jaune just stood atop his artificial pillar in his righteousness, his hands shaking as he guided the most epic attack Ruby had ever seen in her life. He must have gotten a second wind, because less than a minute ago he had nearly toppled from his pedestal - but now with his face twisted into an expression of untold determination, Jaune looked like he could carry the weight of the entire world.

Ruby, as well as the rest of her team and those within the stone wall, wailed as she felt her aura take another downwards dive - torn from her in an almost vicious fashion.

The fire had moved away, the painfully bright inferno guided by Jaune's steady hand towards the hole that allowed the Grimm into the city. And with the flames went the stifling heat that had assailed her, but still her aura was draining.

 _BOOM!_

The thunderous noise of high-powered cannons firing was enough to snap Ruby's gaze away from Jaune and the fire, her silver eyes falling squarely onto the sky where an approaching armada of battleships sped ever closer.

What few Grimm that had survived Jaune's impressive assault were quickly slaughtered as Atlas made their presence known, Jaune himself apparently content to keep his raging inferno contained within the mouth of the opening to the abandoned subway while Atlas mopped up the rest.

The circling dome of air around the wall sputtered and died, though that did little to change the deleterious effect Ruby felt clawing at her aura. Her spirit soared, however, at the sight of Atlas' fleet encroaching onto the now scorched battlefield.

They were late, almost inexcusably so. But they were here now, and the streams of automated soldiers just now hitting the ground were a welcome sight after the Grimm and the sight of Jaune's terrible fury. There was literally nothing left for the machines to shoot at, the entire plaza and everything outside Jaune's protective dome having been utterly immolated by the inferno. So all the Atlesian Knights could do was wave their guns around and look comforting to the panicked civilians.

All of a sudden, the weight seemed to lift, and Ruby felt the poisonous effect on her aura ebb into nothing. It was like someone had removed a boulder from her shoulders moments before her back broke; so great was the relief that she nearly gasped in surprise when it finally ended.

The roar of Jaune's fire withered and died too, the baleful orange that had coated the charred plaza dimming to embers quickly as Ruby and the others staggered to their feet.

"Ruby!" Yang cried out as she moved over to her sister, worry evident on her features. "Are you okay?"

Ruby smiled wanly. She was so very tired… but Yang looked much the same, her shoulders sagging and each step being a staggering effort just to move. "I'm fine, Yang. What _was_ that though? My aura felt like it was being sucked away!"

Weiss and Blake moved into the conversation, the two girls looking equally as weary as Ruby herself felt. "Whatever it was, it's gone now," Blake muttered, "But-"

"That's my partner!"

The shout was a joyous one. Cardin Winchester looked drained, but also extremely elated - and who wouldn't be? Jaune Arc had just saved Vale in a single move. And, as Cardin pointed out, Jaune was his partner. How _cool_ would that be?

Cardin shouted something again, but it was swallowed up by the sound of cheering as all those Jaune had saved praised their saviour's name. Ruby cheered with them, overjoyed that she and her friends had played the role of heroes on this day.

The stone walls around them crumbled into powder, the man of the hour himself staggering through the dust and ashes towards the dozens of people he had saved, a mad grin on his scarred face. His clothes were tattered and little more than strips of charred material, but that didn't subtract from his heroic figure.

The cheering got louder as he came closer, his grin still in place as he neared his team. Ruby rushed to him, a smile lighting up her features as she drew near to her friend. "Jaune!" she shouted happily, "That was so _cool!_ "

The writhing crowd quieted for a moment, eagerly awaiting Jaune's first words after his heroic victory.

"That," he announced, "was really, _really_ , fucking _hot!_ "

A ripple of laughter rolled through the crowd, the odd humour starkly out of place in their scorched surroundings.

Atlas soldiers were just starting to get to them, but even they chuckled at Jaune's proclamation. And who wouldn't? That fire had been… hot.

Oh God, Yang was starting to infect her brain…

"That was awesome!" said infection shouted, her blonde hair waving about as she grabbed Jaune and shook him happily. "Come on hot-stuff, we need to get a group photo!"

"W-what?" The oh-so-mighty hero of Vale stammered, a sudden look of unease on his scarred face. "I don't think that's a good idea…"

Everyone ignored him as a boisterous voice cut across the noise. "You guys weren't planning a group photo without us, were you!?"

Ruby's grin widened as Nora and the rest of NRVR came into view - they were too late to defend the city, but they were just in time for the celebration!

"I think a photo would be a grand idea!" Pyrrha announced happily, seemingly ignoring the look of betrayal on Jaune's face.

Cardin moved in and slapped Jaune on the shoulder. "Hell yeah, man! Let's get a photo of this!"

Ruby and the others didn't let Jaune have another chance to weasel his way out of it, all the young hunters collectively charging in and lifting the blind boy off his feet with a cheer.

Ruby wasn't quite sure who, but one of their number passed their scroll to a nearby Atlas soldier so he could take the picture.

The camera snapped, and the moment was immortalised.

It was the whole gang and the new Hero of Vale.

* * *

 **Docks, present day…**

The moment stilled, everything seeming to freeze and lock itself into place in the span of a single second.

Jaune and Pyrrha were unaffected, but Nihilus was as still as stone, his ghostly white face twisted into an expression of utter joy as he stared at the treasure in his hand.

Pyrrha looked around in confusion, but Jaune knew what this was. He could _feel_ the other presence here, the other awareness.

"Hurry up and show yourself," Jaune sighed, tired of the struggle.

A mirror image of a slightly older Jaune faded into view, his blue eyes serious for the first time since Jaune and Pyrrha had met him. It was the Memory, Fragment, _whatever._

"He's never going to stop, you know," the fragment said, eyes boring holes into Jaune and Pyrrha. "Not ever. Now that he knows about Violet, he will _never_ stop. Not for her, not for _anything_."

Jaune didn't reply; he knew that in Nihilus' situation he would be the same. He would do pretty much anything to protect his family.

"I didn't know this would happen!" Pyrrha cried, obvious anguish on her face. "All I wanted was for Jaune to come back!"

"And even that has failed," the mirror image said calmly, "for the Jaune you knew is gone." He pointed to to Jaune, "This one is but a reflection on a cracked mirror - similar, but distorted."

"What happened to me?" Jaune finally croaked, equal parts curious for the answer, and loathing the look of angst on Pyrrha's face.

The Memory smiled grimly, "You experienced death. You felt for the barest moments what Nihilus is constantly subjected to, the torture of his - _my_ wretched existence."

"What…" Pyrrha interjected, "What happened? After you died, I mean."

Jaune didn't answer; he hardly understood it himself.

"He was subjected to the absolute truth of the world," the Memory answered in his stead, "and you showed, beyond any shred of doubt, that you and Nihilus - you and I - are _not_ the same person."

Jaune's gaze snapped to meet the eyes of the Fragment. "What?" he demanded, "What do you mean?"

The mirror image of Jaune paced around their still surroundings, the phantasm staring at the frozen form of Nihilus in mild contempt. "Nihilus has died twice, you see." He ran his hands over the ghostly white skin of his real self, of Nihilus, "The first time was in the defence of Vale; Grimm had breached through the ground like a great eruption, and I summoned a great inferno with which to defeat the fell creatures - but I too was consumed by the fire."

The not-Jaune turned to stare at Pyrrha and his younger counterpart, "Death claimed my soul. But my task was not yet done; I made the _choice_ to linger. Death is like a tsunami; it is enormously difficult, but with the right motivation and knowledge, one can swim against the tide."

Jaune sagged, a feeling of defeat weighing down on his eroded soul. "And I didn't. I just… went with the tide."

The fragment scoffed, "Fear not, that is what happens to the overwhelming majority. Even by that point in his life - which is only a few short months away - Nihilus had been taught by the greatest of teachers. Suffering."

Jaune didn't reply, too lost in his despair.

Pyrrha was not, however. "And the second time?" she asked, "Perhaps… if we can replicate the situation, we can force him to move on?"

The mirror image smiled gently, "That would be quite impossible I'm afraid, as technically he is still dead."

Jaune's eyes widened, the full horror of that statement sinking in. "Still dead? You mean he's _constantly_ trapped in that state?"

"Indeed," his reflection replied, once again resuming its pacing. "Nihilus as you know him is a wraith - clinging to the world of mortals thanks to his fury over what he has lost."

"Then…" Pyrrha whispered, "Can he _ever_ be defeated?"

The other Arc peered closely at the frozen form of Nihilus, the dark lord utterly motionless in the moment of frozen time. "Not in the conventional sense of the word, no," he admitted, "even if the stolen body he now haunts is utterly destroyed, he will still exist - and be all the more powerful for it."

"What?" Pyrrha whispered, a thin note of horror in her voice as reality began to set in. "How would he be more powerful? He's untouchable _now_!"

The Fragment glanced sadly at the purple speck trapped in Nihilus' hand as he answered, "Nihilus - _I_ , am practically a god. While he is within the body he currently possesses he is bound by the limitations of man, but when he is not? You saw the effects yourself Pyrrha; he resurrected the dead. Last time he was unbound, he caused utter desolation and destruction to anything foolish enough to be nearby - an everlasting scar was created on the world."

"So it's pointless, then," Jaune breathed, "there's nothing we can do?"

His counterpart smiled, true joy showing on his face. "I didn't say that. In some ways, Nihilus is more fragile than spun glass, and the weakest of touches would cause him to shatter."

"How, though?" Pyrrha demanded, "How can this be done?"

The Fragment opened his mouth, but the world seemed to shudder. Everything jerked in place for a moment.

A panicked look crossed the Memory's face for a moment. "I must go, else he will discover me too."

"Wait!" Pyrrha cried just as he began to fade, "How can we stop him?!"

The reflection was fading, the barest shadow now. "Just keep doing what you're doing…" and with that, he was gone.

Reality reasserted itself, motion coming back into the world with the passing of the now-distant reflection.

Jaune could only sigh. That conversation had availed them nothing…

* * *

 **Docks, present day…**

Nihilus grasped at his precious treasure.

He had it, he had it! Years and years and years of her absence had made him cold and alone. But! But now he had his daughter back! Wasn't that grand?! Wasn't that simply exquisite?

The souls of the two petty mortals jerked on the spot. What was wrong with them?! Why weren't they excited for this marvelous discovery? Shame! Shame on them!

No, no, no! He mustn't think that! Silly Nihilus, for it was _Jaune_ that had given him this insight. The little shell of a boy had _known_ about her when he had not. A curious thing that, but Nihilus didn't bother questioning it - who would question such good luck? Not he!

"Nihilus?" the illusion was speaking, the annoying interloper that was so similar to his beloved, but nothing more than a trick! Pyrrha was dead, dead, dead! He saw it, he had watched it happen! This girl was a fake, and unwanted by him. Especially after she dared use her image to force his hand. "What now, Nihilus?"

What now? What now indeed! Nihilus' clairvoyance was great, but now he only saw two paths stretching out before him. In his hand he cradled the gem of light that was his lost daughter; should he abandon his righteous quest for justice so as to find a suitable host for his lovely daughter?

But would his beloved Pyrrha accept that choice? Her spirit was in the beyond, guided by the twin hands and she was no doubt watching him with her careful eyes. Would she understand his pause in the quest for righteous vengeance?

Pyrrha, Pyrrha, Pyrrha… what to do? Speak, speak…

Silence.

Nihilus couldn't help but let out a morose laugh. Of course she wouldn't speak to him! She was dead! Stupid! How could he be so stupid!?

Maybe he should ask his dear daughter? She would know, such an intelligent little girl she had been. Beyond her years in her wits, and the light of his life. "Violet!" he sang, "Violet! What do you want, my dear? What should Daddy do? Fetch you a shell, or find this world's Lord of Pain?"

Silence.

Jaune, _Jaune_ , the shallow, hollowed soul that he was, spoke up, "Nihilus, I don't think she can hear you…"

What? That was preposterous! He was her father! She could always hear him! "Violet? Speak to me," Nihilus whispered, a sudden feeling of uncertainty pooling in his gut, "Speak to me, Violet…"

Silence.

No, no, no… this wasn't right. She either couldn't hear him or couldn't speak back. Both weren't fair; he'd spent _years_ longing for this moment. His unquenchable fury had never even wavered - for that was all that sustained him - but right at that very moment Nihilus felt the barest flicker, and with it came the impossibly powerful pull on his twisted soul to join the void.

Iron will snapped into place, and the all-consuming rage pooled within him once more. He wouldn't accept this.

"Fine!" Nihilus snarled, his two young charges jumping slightly at the volume. "I will do both then!"

It would be harder, and he would have to clamp down on the desire to destroy, but he would do both. That _wretch_ would suffer through a death unlike any other, and while he was there he would find a suitable host for his lovely daughter's soul.

"Nihilus?" the irritating interloper again, couldn't she see that he was deep in thought?! "What… what are you going to do?"

Nihilus scoffed. Though she may not actually be the _real_ Pyrrha, she asked the same questions. A similar thought process, perhaps? Just another thing she had copied from his beloved wife. "To Atlas!" Nihilus shouted at no one in particular, "My noble mission can be delayed no longer! And you, my dear _Jaune_ ," he touched the boy on the shoulder, "are coming with me."

The boy seemed to crumple inwards, though his despair was hardly a surprise given the gift Nihilus had bestowed upon him. The soul shard of the Ring had coiled around what was left of his soul tightly, never to be unraveled unless Nihilus were to do something truly… _foul_.

"What are we going to Atlas for?"

The interloper again, though she misunderstood! Yes, yes. The illusion had had enough, for she was irrelevant now. She had been irrelevant anyway, but now Nihilus cared less for his original reasoning behind taking her too.

"'We'?" Nihilus parroted, "There will be no 'we' this time, your journey is at an end!"

Nihilus felt a savage grin split across his face. What would she taste like? Her soul was young and fresh; she had developed a minor resistance to his influence, but when he got his hands on her…

"What?" her soul flickered in puzzlement.

Nihilus leapt forwards, his right hand outstretched to rob the illusion of her soul while his left hand still cradled the last soul shard of his daughter.

All in a single moment Nihilus found himself stopped, his right hand held tightly in an iron grip by _Jaune_. The boy had been fast! Fast indeed, _too_ fast. And judging by the anguished quivering of his soul, Nihilus could see that he'd used his new ring! "Good! Good!" Nihilus cackled, "You access my lent strength without hesitation! Always remember, he who strikes quickly will end it quickly!"

"Leave Pyrrha alone. Let her walk away."

Oh… was _that_ why he'd stopped him? How petty. "And why should I?"

"Because she's not a threat."

Hmm… True! He could crush her as easily as he could kill an infant. But what did that matter? He was still so hungry! All the power in the world rightfully belonged to him! All life existed to serve him, that she yet lived now was because he allowed it - and she would die if he demanded it. "And neither was I!" Nihilus eventually cackled, "I was simple and quiet, but they still robbed me of my life."

"I returned your daughter to you, now let Pyrrha go."

Ooh… Clever tactic! It was true; _Jaune_ had returned his dear Violet through the gift of insight. But did that warrant a soul being spared? Perhaps, perhaps… Violet was worth letting all things burn for, and now he had the chance to bring her back. Maybe he could allow the illusion to leave? As a favour to dearest _Jaune,_ of course.

"Very well!" Nihilus announced finally, his counterpart's grip on Nihilus' arm loosening as the words were spoken. "You may leave, little illusion. But know this: you are alive only because he spared you, and because I never break my promises."

She looked at him, her soul quivering under his mighty gaze - as it should.

She turned to _Jaune_ , "Come with me! Leave him to his… mission."

No, no… didn't she ever listen?! He and _Jaune_ were together in this now, perhaps not equal, but together nonetheless. Nihilus had said so! Or did he? Memory was a tricky thing these days; he had so many! Three decades of living as Jaune Arc, two decades of being Amber Autumn, and another three and a half decades of being Cinder Fall! That was a full life, especially given that over fifty years of those memories had just been dumped on him all in a single instant!

"No," _Jaune_ answered, "someone needs to… contain… him."

Contain? hahaHA! That was _funny_! "You cannot contain a God," Nihilus laughed, mirth clear on his features.

Trying to contain him would be like trying to touch the sun. He wasn't a person, nor was he something so easily dismissed. Nihilus was an emotion, a single desire turned into a reality by his will. From beyond darkness he struck at those in power, at the vile and corrupted ones that Cinder had so hated - though her anger and hatred paled in comparison to that of Jaune Arc.

And to think, he had once contemplated using his greatest treasure on him… ooh… that would have been a mistake. No. That _wretched_ weapon was going to wait a little longer. Wait for the blood of lords to stain it, all so his suffering could _shared_.

Nihilus didn't bother to listen to what the little illusion's reply was, for just the merest glance at her true soul told him that she was about to leave. A wise move on her part - his hunger was unending, and if she lingered too long then he may have grown impatient, even with his iron will.

"Come now, _Jaune,_ " Nihilus sang as he practically draped himself over the shoulders of the boy, "we have a noble task ahead of us. I waited too long in my original efforts to keep you safe, and now I can wait no longer."

His grip turned to iron, and with the barest flicker of his Maiden-gifted strength Nihilus propelled the two of them into the air. _Jaune_ didn't even flinch this time, maybe he was getting used to it? Or maybe he had stopped caring…

It didn't matter. Now, the mission was underway. What was left of Violet was safely tucked within the folds of his own soul - ready to be transposed into a new shell once he found one. Off to Atlas it was, and once again Nihilus would have the pleasure of causing untold agony to the Lord of Pain.

Yes… General Ironwood would _suffer_.

And then he would die.

* * *

1

* * *

 **A/N**

 **So massive exposition chapter, with information being handed out like SDI's at an orgy. Hmm… I don't know where that metaphor came from, kinda gross.**

 **Anyway… this chapter explains a crapload of things that were previously hinted at or were just left open to interpretation. Some of it may be confusing, but that is intentional on my part. If there are any questions I will attempt to answer them!**

 **That said, let's look at the reviews:  
**

 **Yuligan101:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Still a little way to go before things come full circle, but we're getting there.**

 **COOLER:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **A great deal was revealed this chapter, but also more mysteries were introduced… so I like to think that it will balance itself out.**

 **The number is the total of complete souls that Nihilus (young) possesses - including his own. So while his semblance has made its first appearance, he has yet to actually kill anyone with it.**

 **That was indeed the first use of his semblance - his own aura was pretty much depleted. As for fighting with the 'Beyond' as you put it… well, Jaune was the one fighting - the owner of that voice was merely playing.**

 **Out of curiosity, do you know me IRL? I have something of a reputation at my school for drinking obscene amounts of tea/coffee and most people call me Jesus.**

 **Potato:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Jaune will have his good moments, don't fret about that. True joy is not something one can understand fully without having experience in suffering. Nihilus' life has had both extremes, and so will Jaune's.**

 **Fayari:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

That's pretty much what I was aiming for so far. Now the real challenge lays in making you like and feel sympathy for them (in the 'Many years ago...' segments) during the rest of the story.

 **Tobi14:**

 **Thanks for reviewing (twice).**

 **I will** _ **never**_ **accuse RWBY of being sensible or intelligent combatants. Their fight with Nihilus is reflective of this. I tried to make their fighting styles similar to what we've seen in canon - read, stupid. Gonna be totally honest here: I don't like team RWBY. Ruby is an idiot. Blake keeps making the** _ **same**_ **mistakes. Yang is a damn fool who doesn't** _ **think.**_ **Weiss is the most redeemable for me since she is constantly moving** _ **forwards**_ **and trying to** _ **better**_ **herself - rather than stagnate like the others.**

 **I use RWBY because they are easy - their characters are direct and their failures clear. I use Jaune because his character potential is almost endless; this is because we know very little about him, and as such I can bend him to whatever story I want to tell.**

 **Nihilus' semblance is broken. It is made all the more over-powered by his aura sight, and by his (in the present anyway) near omniscience over… well… everything. As stated in this chapter; Nihilus is a literal God - he plays at being mortal, and he let's others think he can be bested, but if he were to get serious then very little could stop him.**

 **PhantomStranger:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **The number is a total of** _ **complete**_ **souls - counting his own. If the number counted only people other than himself then past Nihilus would still be at zero. Present Nihilus' number would be… much** _ **, much**_ **higher.**

 **Nihilus is fascinated with Jaune, and has gone through several different opinions of Jaune. On some level Nihilus hates that Jaune hasn't suffered and struggled over a long period of time to attain power. But at the same time Nihilus loves the idea of a younger and less polluted version of himself in Jaune. Nihilus as he is** _ **now**_ **see's the chance for an equal to be found in Jaune, given enough time and the correct motivation.**

 **Alternate Ruby currently thinks Jaune is dead, but if she finds out that that he is alive then she will definitely try to kill him again. As for the rest of your theory… well, Nihilus will always exist in some manner if he so desires. So Ruby will have trouble killing him regardless.**

 **And yes, since you asked: when referring to something Nihilus owns (or in this case saying there is two of him) it would be** _ **Nihilus'.**_

 **FractiousDay:**

 **Thanks for reviewing:**

 **The timelines are getting closer, but there is still a long way to go.**

 **I tend to rely on introspective stuff as a writer. I appreciate your honest opinion, but I tend to dislike writing dialogue. I write introspection because I'm a deeply introspective person.**

 **I'd also advise against skimming through this story, as many details will be missed.**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **One in total, not one taken my friend.**

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! And don't forget to leave a review!**


	25. Yesterday's Ghosts

Wraith

Chapter Twenty Five

Beta: Smithrooks

Yesterday's Ghosts

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

They were calling it the 'Breach'.

The word was fitting enough, Jaune supposed, though it hardly described the full horror of what exactly had happened yesterday. Jaune himself had just been released from Beacon's impressive infirmary, the staff there surprised he had done all that he did and only suffered through severe aura depletion.

But Jaune knew the truth, he knew what had really happened. He had _died_.

Dead. Game over. Flame snuffed out. Freed from the mortal coil. _Gone_.

And yet here he was, alive.

Everyone was calling him a hero, a saviour and a legend of the people. But… that wasn't how Jaune felt. Heroes never die, or that's what he had thought anyway. Jaune was just… nobody. If he'd died and hadn't returned… a few people would be sad, but the vast majority would either be apathetic to the death of just another hunter, or they wouldn't hear about it in the first place.

The realisation of his own mortality was… surprising. Also slightly depressing that it took actually dying to realise, but still surprising. He'd known before that death was a possibility of course, but it had never fully _struck_ him that _he_ could die. Death had always been something to happen to other people, their suffering visible but unknowable to him.

Jaune had been told that death had a way of putting life into perspective, though perhaps when he'd first heard that so many years ago when his mother passed, he had never expected it to mean _his_ death.

But now Jaune knew death, and he found himself… afraid.

The pain, the unbearable agony he had been presented with when his soul left his body… even the pain of being speared to a tree and then losing his sight _paled_ in comparison to the utter anguish presented to him when he had dared try to deny death. But the true horror was the _voice_.

That voice… it was like a distortion. It didn't even have to do anything other than _speak_ and reality trembled in fear; his own petty soul quivered even now at the mere _thought_ of hearing those words again. They had been so absolute, so unreal that Jaune couldn't even comprehend or remember what it had said - and yet he knew, undeniably, that he had passed some kind of… test? Trial?

"Hey there, hero!"

It was just some random passerby, just another hunter. Just another _number_. They didn't really _matter_.

Jaune didn't bother to respond, his feet carrying him through the halls of Beacon silently towards his destination.

Something was different now too, there was this constant _pounding_ in his head. A throbbing that wasn't quite painful, but was certainly creeping along the edge of being painful.

 _Hungry_.

That word alone seemed to resonate within him, although he didn't know why. And it was constant, it was just _there_. Scratching away at the back of his mind, niggling at the edge of perception.

Jaune stepped into the elevator.

He forced his thoughts back onto his current mission, the strange desire lurking in the background once again, ever there, ever waiting.

He needed to speak to Ozpin. He needed to _demand_ an answer. The Breach had been something of a tipping point for Jaune - why had Ozpin allowed Jaune to remain in Beacon? Especially given that Jaune was blind to Grimm, the very thing this school trained people to fight.

It was strange that Ozpin had not only allowed him to stay, but had also given Jaune his first glimpse into the art of aura sight - the very thing that Jaune had recently broken the limits of and discovered the new ability of soul sight. In hindsight, maybe he should have told Ozpin about that sooner? Jaune had literally discovered that one of the single most fundamental 'truths' that man had held onto for _millennia_ was incorrect.

Aura wasn't the soul. But the soul… was aura? Tricky to explain… aura is like rain, and the soul the stormcloud.

And he needed to tell Ozpin about his… death. No one else could know, but Jaune trusted Ozpin not to immediately turn him into some kind of lab rat. If word got out that he'd _died_ then Jaune wasn't really sure what exactly would happen, but he knew that things would change _dramatically_ \- and not for the better.

The elevator let out a soft 'ding' as it reached his destination, the doors parting to the side as Jaune stepped into the office of the powerful headmaster.

"Hello Jaune, I wasn't expecting you." As calm and collected as ever. Ozpin was consistent like that.

Ozpin's aura was like an endless green maze, so utterly deep that Jaune could hardly see where it ended. But he could see clearly where it began - Ozpin's soul. The real soul, underneath the layers of aura that shielded him. The soul was just as green as the aura, but it took the form of a kindly old man, a deep feeling of melancholic remembrance at his very heart.

And of course… there was a _hole_.

Jaune had noticed this… condition… on his own soul shortly after returning to Beacon - a gaping hole that went clean through his own soul. It hadn't been there before, and he knew it _wasn't_ a result of his brief death.

No… this was because of death, just not his own death.

Apparently The Prick - Roman Torchwick - had died during the Breach, utterly immolated to the point where only through dental records could the 'body' be identified. The same was true for the scant few White Fang members that had survived the initial crash - Jaune had killed them.

He didn't feel particularly guilty.

Ozpin was the same, the same hole through his soul. It was odd to think about, that taking a life could have such an effect on the soul.

It didn't actually affect him in any way, it was just… there. The hole just existed. It wasn't like there was a true lack of anything, or as if he'd lost anything, but the symbolism wasn't lost on Jaune - what with the 'wound' going right through where his heart should be.

What did that make him now? Unnatural? Less than he used to be? Hollow?

Hmm… Hollow. He liked that one.

Jaune shook the thoughts away, he had to focus.

 _Hungry._

"I'm sorry for barging in like this," no he wasn't, "but I need answers."

Ozpin raised a mug of something to his mouth and took a small sip. Judging by the smell and Ozpin's usual drinking habits, Jaune would say that it was coffee. How the man guzzled as much as he did and not crap himself or have massive health problems was beyond Jaune.

"Please, sit down," the man said pleasantly, his hand vaguely gesturing to one of the seats that sat before his desk. "To which questions do you seek answers to?"

Jaune sat in the comfortable chair. "Why did you let me stay in Beacon?"

He'd asked before, of course, back when Ozpin had been teaching him the basics of aura sight. But the answer given had been little more than pointless rhetoric, and even as oblivious as Jaune knew himself to be at times, obviously Ozpin hadn't wanted to answer.

But now? Now Jaune wanted - nay, _demanded_ an answer.

"You've asked me that before," Ozpin answered, his voice as calm and level as it always was. "You know the answer."

"No, I do not," Jaune shot back, "You told me that the world needed every hunter it could get. That was _an_ answer, but not _your_ answer."

A thin trickle of amusement ebbed from Ozpin's soul, as well as a surprising dash of… happiness?

"Very good, Mr. Arc," Ozpin said, smile evident in his voice, "few care for the distinction, let alone take note of it."

Had anyone else said that, it would have been arrogant, but Ozpin delivered the words not in a boastful way; he said it as though he were merely commenting on the weather. As if he was just stating a common fact.

It was also another deflection, cleverly hidden within a compliment.

Jaune had made a point of not covering his face before coming into this meeting, so as he began to glare at Ozpin he knew he was putting his vile and fearsome appearance to good use for once. "No," _Hungry_ , "answer the question."

Jaune 'watched' as Ozpin sighed deeply and set his coffee to the side, the elder man's soul looking so utterly weary that Jaune couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him.

"Tell me, Mr. Arc," the aged man said slowly, "what is your father's semblance?"

Jaune blinked, however pointless the action may be for him, in confusion. Why was Ozpin asking that? That information would be on his father's file in the hunter registry - something Ozpin would have easy access to.

"Humour me," Ozpin answered Jaune's unasked question.

"Okay…" Jaune answered slowly, "he can cause a feeling of intense fear in his opponents, driving them into a panic. But it doesn't work on Grimm, only people."

Ozpin hummed, his hands steepling under his chin. "Very good, and what of your grandfather's semblance?"

Jaune's blind eyes narrowed. Why was Ozpin asking this? What was the point of it? "He…" hmm, it had been awhile since he'd had his lessons on this… "My grandfather was able to cast mass illusions, able to trick dozens of people at the same time."

"And did it work on Grimm?"

Jaune frowned. "No…" What was Ozpin getting at?

"Your great grandfather's semblance?" Ozpin asked once more, "Do you know what that was?"

That one was easier, due in large part to how famous Julius Arc had been. "He was able to inspire his allies, while at the same time causing his enemies to feel like a fight was unwinnable. It didn't work on Grimm."

Ozpin simply nodded. "I could go on, but I suspect that is enough for you to begin to understand." The elder man sighed, "There are few families in the world today that carry a hereditary semblance, the most notable being the Schnees of Atlas. You, Mr. Arc, are from one such family."

"What?" Jaune shook his head. That didn't make sense. Semblances that passed down through families were all the same, and he'd just explained that his family wasn't like that - so what was Ozpin smoking? "No, that can't be right."

Ozpin merely shook his head. "Your family has a hereditary semblance _trait,_ rather than a specific semblance," the man's soul moved in slow eddies, "Think, Mr. Arc. What could that be? What common factor has each of your forefathers shared?"

How was Jaune supposed to answer that? He didn't know! His family was a powerful line of hunters and warriors - he knew that much. Most of them had used Crocea Mors, though there were a few exceptions to that, himself included in the number, that had found other means to achieve their ends. "They…" he didn't know the actual answer - but it was just like his father had always said: If you can't blind with brilliance, then baffle with bullshit. "They were all blonde?"

Jaune could almost _taste_ Ozpin's confusion and amusement at that.

"No, Mr. Arc," Ozpin chuckled lightly, "I was referring the the impotence of their semblances against the Grimm, and their power against those with aura."

That… what did that matter? Not just the Arcs, but _everyone_ on Remnant had spent their lives too busy fighting Grimm to ever have anything more than a petty and quick battle between each other - battles that either ended with both sides dead, or one side winning briefly before the Grimm came. Life on Remnant was _hard_ , and if you weren't careful the world would swallow you up and crap you out as either a mangled corpse or something worse than the Grimm.

"I can see by the look on your face that you don't see any particular relevance in this information," Ozpin hummed, his green aura utterly dwarfing Jaune's own white. "You probably think that it doesn't matter, because the Grimm are the real threat."

Jaune nodded silently.

"Historically, you are correct," the green-souled man said quietly, "but since the end of the Faunus War, mankind has entered a new age - an age we have never before experienced."

Jaune leaned forwards. What was he talking about?

"We entered the age of abundance," Ozpin rose to his feet, slowly stepping over to and staring out of what Jaune assumed to be a window. "Or more precisely, Mr. Arc, we entered the age of _over_ -abundance."

"Before this began, humanity never had time to do anything other than fight to survive," the headmaster continued, "then, over the course of untold millennia of struggling, we finally had enough numbers to start killing each other instead of the Grimm."

No, no, that couldn't be right… Ozpin had to be wrong. Grimm were the only enemy; human, Faunus, it didn't _matter_ \- Grimm killed both. The distinction amounted to absolutely nothing in the face of the extinction-level threat the Grimm posed. "That can't be right," Jaune muttered, "Why would the people shift their attention from the Grimm?"

Ozpin sighed, "Because for the first time ever, we could. Only within the last two decades have there been criminals such as Roman Torchwick - criminals a step above petty acts." The soul of the aged man seemed to wilt, "Before this, when someone committed a crime, or violated the law in some manner, there were only two punishments: conscription into the military, or being sent to fight the Grimm with little more than a sword - a death sentence."

Jaune knew that, everybody did. But that wasn't how things worked now, things were _better_ now. There were prisons, rehabilitation facilities - much more humane than what basically amounted to little more than forced servitude or a messy and painful death. But what did this have to do with Ozpin's point?

"I can see that you are sceptical Mr. Arc, and while it may be unfortunate, this is the truth." Ozpin's voice became resolute, "Mankind now faces enemies from both within our safe havens, and outside our walls. The problem grows worse by the day, more and more hunters straying from the path we had set before them. They become those like Torchwick, or the White Fang."

"Okay…" Jaune said slowly, the full implications of what Ozpin was saying beginning to dawn on him, "but what does this have to do with me? I asked why you allowed me to be a hunter, not-"

Ozpin cut him off, "That is my point, Mr. Arc. Hunters - defenders trained to defeat Grimm, we have hundreds of men and women like this. But we do not have a single hunter dedicated solely to stopping the rising number of rogue elements the Kingdoms are now facing."

"'Rogue elements'?" Jaune repeated, a trickle of anger ebbing into his words, "You mean hunters that aren't hunting Grimm anymore."

 _Hungry._

"Yes," Ozpin sounded utterly unapologetic. "Hunters that take, but do not give. These are worse than Grimm - worse because unlike a civilian who simply does not know better, these men and women know the darkness that humanity faces - yet they choose to follow their own selfish desires and wants over that of the collective."

"And what does this have to do with me?" Jaune barked, real anger twisting his expression into something monstrous.

Ozpin wasn't fazed by the negativity, not in the slightest. He turned away from his window and faced Jaune, green soul still as a stone. "Because, Mr. Arc, you will never, _ever_ , be the hunter of Grimm you envisioned yourself to be."

The words were like a punch in the gut.

"You can't see Grimm," Ozpin drawled, "but your family's semblance trait gives you a unique advantage against hunters. When your bleeding and ruined body was dragged into the infirmary after initiation, I was tempted to discard you - but I chose not to because I saw the potential for the first… anti-hunter… to be born."

Jaune's anger fled in an instant. Anti-hunter? The thought made him sick. What was Ozpin saying? _How_ could he say that?

"You will be a hunter not of Grimm, but of men," Ozpin continued, "you will serve the Kingdoms against the darkness that even now threatens to overwhelm us."

A moment of silence, the pounding of his heart the only noise Jaune could hear.

"I _am_ sorry, Mr. Arc," Ozpin laid his hand upon the blind boy's shoulder, "but if you are to become a hunter, this is the path you must take."

No… it was like being slapped in the face. The cold _logic_ in the words made it hurt all the worse. Ozpin wasn't being cruel about it, or at least he wasn't trying to be cruel, but it still stung to hear. Jaune had known for some time now that as a hunter he would primarily be taking on missions to catch criminals rather than Grimm, but to be told that he would _only_ be taking on criminals - rogue hunters - that was practically pissing on his dreams.

But it was also correct.

Jaune's actions during the Breach were a fluke - he would never be truly effective against the Grimm the same way the rest of his team, nay, any hunter would be. At most Jaune could have others direct him, but that would mean he was still a burden - and burdens were either quickly discarded, or they died.

"This is cruel," Jaune whispered, any vestiges of his former anger utterly dead.

"Yes, it is," Ozpin agreed, "But such is the way of the world, Mr. Arc."

 _Hungry._

Jaune slumped in his chair, sorrow marring his spirit. "So this is it then? This is to be my life?"

"If you wish to walk the path of the hunter, then yes it is," the elder man replied, "you will attend all the normal classes, function for all intents and purposes as just a normal student. And when such a time comes that your team takes on missions, they will be tasks suited to someone of your nature. After your tenure at Beacon is completed you and your team will part ways, they to become hunters of Grimm, and you to become a hunter of men."

This wasn't fair. But then again, life wasn't fair.

This was what he was going to be… a hunter, but not _really_ ahunter. Alternatively, he could walk away; abandon his friends, abandon his team, abandon Beacon, abandon his _promise_.

He had promised to help everyone who needed it, to save the world.

Was that lost to him now?

No… no it wasn't. He may not be a hunter like he had once dreamed of, but he would still be helping people, still be saving people. _That_ was his dream, _that_ had always been his dream - what exactly he was to spend his life fighting was immaterial, so long as he could help people. "You want this," Jaune said, the sorrow he had felt moments ago washing away. "I can accept that. But since it's you that wants this, then you will help me with this. Train me."

The soul of Ozpin actually looked a little startled, "Mr. Arc, Professor Goodwitch is an excellent instructor. I assure you that every resource and advantage will be at your disposal."

"No!" Jaune shot back, "You want me to hunt criminals for you, to spend _my_ life fighting a war that, by your own admission, can _never_ be won. You _owe_ me this much."

Ozpin was silent for a moment, the endless green of his aura shifting around in a myriad of emotions that Jaune couldn't quite decipher.

"If I start to train you," the headmaster said slowly, "then there will be no turning back, Mr. Arc."

Jaune smiled weakly. "I know."

Ozpin grasped Jaune's hand and pulled the blind boy to his feet. "Then let us begin, Mr. Arc."

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

Ruby slumped down against the wall of her room.

Tears streamed down her face, shuddering sobs wracking her body as she cried.

Yang was dead, Blake was dead… it was just her and Weiss now. And she'd killed the Jaune of this world. Shot an innocent boy through the chest just on the off _chance_ that he'd become like the Lord of Hunger. It was the right thing to do. The right thing…

She kept saying that to herself, but it never made her feel any less like a monster.

She had shot him… and then Blake had stabbed him.

He could have been another Nihilus. He could have made it all happen again… but he wouldn't, _couldn't_ , now - because he was dead. Dead, like that little girl… Gods, she'd never forget the look of despair on Jaune's - her Jaune's - face when that bullet tore away her life.

" _I will never forgive you. I will never forgive any of you!"_

Those words haunted her dreams, just as Nihilus himself dogged her during her waking hours. Was she doing the right thing? Yang and Blake were gone now thanks to her decisions. The Ozpin and his precious Maiden from her world were little more than ash. Ruby and Weiss were utterly alone… and worse still was that Weiss was on the other side of the world, far away in Atlas overseeing the construction of the only thing that had ever shown any semblance of being able to contain Nihilus.

Ruby was here in Beacon, surrounded by people, but with no one to talk to.

The sobs grew quieter, but the tears still flowed. She'd always wanted to be a huntress, a hero… but what was she now? A murderer? A failure? Both, really.

It just… why did everything have to be so hard? Ever since the Vytal Festival, things had just spiraled out of control. On that day, the day her _friend_ Jaune killed his team, _that_ was the day her innocence died. Before that, Ruby had still believed that everyone could be saved. Hell, she and _Jaune_ had promised to do it together…

" _I'm going to save everyone who needs help. I don't care if he thinks it's a fool's hope, but when I become a full hunter I will never stop until I save the world!"_

Gods, how she wished she could turn back time…

The sound of her scroll ringing drew Ruby from her melancholic thoughts, the small device buzzing happily on her belt.

Ruby sniffed and answered audio only. She didn't want people to see her right now. "Hello?"

"Miss Rose," it was Ozpin, and he sounded surprisingly harried, "there has been a development. You'd best come to my office quickly. Miss Nikos has just returned to the school; she claims that Mr. Arc is still alive."

...What?

That doesn't make sense. Ruby was no doctor, but she knew that being shot and then stabbed through the heart tends to kill people. There was no way that the Jaune of this world was alive. He was dead. Dead like the little girl…

"I'll… be right there," she muttered back, quickly ending the call a moment later.

People tended not to survive what Ruby had done to the boy, but that didn't quite account for Nihilus' interference. Ruby had absolutely no idea about the upper limits of the power her fallen friend had acquired - and she knew well enough that when she and the others fought him in Vale he wasn't really paying attention to the fight, that he was _playing_ with them. Sure, they may have pushed his stolen Maiden power to its limit - but _his_ power?

What her Jaune had become was beyond her understanding. Maybe he… created a new Jaune? Cobbled something together from all the other souls he had already stolen. Or perhaps it was merely an illusion of some kind? Something to trick Pyrrha and to set Ruby herself off guard when she found out.

Or perhaps Nihilus really does know how to revive the dead.

Ruby shook her head as she left her room. That couldn't be it… Nihilus couldn't bring back the dead, otherwise he would have saved his daughter and his wife after they… after she…

 _Ruby squeezed her eyes shut tightly, her hands shaking as she held the rifle form of Crescent Rose in place. She had to do it, she needed to do it - the nightmare ended today. Ruby breathed out slowly, and then she pulled the trigger._

 _BANG!_

 _Two bodies collapsed into the snow - one she was expecting, and one that would haunt her dreams forever. Pyrrha gasped weakly and clutched at a smaller figure who lay still, a little figure… a little girl with red hair… Oh gods, what had she done?_

" _NO!"_

 _It wasn't Ruby that screamed._

* * *

 **Ocean, present day…**

Jaune stayed silent as Nihilus pulled him through the sky, his eyes tracing over the ocean as it passed by in a blur beneath him. Nihilus had said they were heading to Atlas, something about making the 'Lord of Pain' suffer, but honestly… Jaune was just _tired_. Tired of the struggle, tired of the pointless fight. He'd been 'traveling' with Nihilus for over a week now, and what had he accomplished? He became a mass murderer, and then he died - and to ice the cake, the death didn't even stick like it was supposed to. The only thing he'd accomplished was getting Pyrrha away from the monster that was Nihilus.

" _He used to be a good man."_

Jaune jerked at the sound of the voice, his eyes briefly looking up to see if it was Nihilus who had spoken, but the false lord's mouth was shut - he didn't even acknowledge Jaune looking at him.

" _He used to have so much kindness, so much mercy."_

The voice was definitely female, Jaune could say that much for certain upon hearing it again. Looking around, he saw nothing beyond what he'd been seeing the last hour or so; water and the occasional bird. The voice didn't sound like a child either, so it definitely wasn't Violet trying to talk to him again.

" _That mercy dried up over years, just like yours is starting to now."_

Jaune winced, the comparison between himself and Nihilus hitting close to the bone. Despite what the 'memory' thing said about it, Jaune was still terrified of the prospect of becoming like Nihilus was.

" _He only wanted what was best for others, we just wanted to live quietly."_

The voice was familiar. Jaune couldn't quite place it, but something kept tickling at the back of his mind, telling him he'd heard that voice before…

" _When you get to Atlas, Jaune is going to assault the academy. He's going to want to draw Ironwood out."_

Why would Nihilus want Ironwood? Wasn't he after the 'Lord of Pain'? Unless… unless they were the same person. And the way she, the voice, referred to Nihilus as 'Jaune'... she must know him somehow - know him not as Nihilus, but as what he was before that.

" _Except Ironwood has already left, gone to Vale to confer with Ozpin about the threat Jaune poses. This is going to make Jaune_ _very_ _angry."_

And what could he do to stop him? Jaune was just one guy. The immense power of the fire ring Nihilus gave him was easily enough to make him stronger than even the best hunters, as was the power of the newer ring - the ring that granted immeasurable knowledge over the workings of gravity Dust. But for all the might that those rings lent him, Jaune was still merely an ant before Nihilus' power.

" _I know. Weiss is there as well, not the Weiss you know however - the Weiss from our world."_

Weiss? Heh, the Snow Angel? Gods, it seems like he'd said those words so long ago… but what was she doing here? Unless…

Oh God.

Weiss was in Atlas. Blake died in Vale. A huntress with gauntlets of some kind attacked them in Dorme, that must have been Yang. And a huntress with a red sniper rifle attacked him… Ruby.

RWBY…

Team RWBY was after them…

" _On her own she stands no chance against him, but she won't fight him alone - she's got mechs, hundreds of machines to help her. Using technology from our world, she has enhanced them with aura."_

Jaune stopped himself from scoffing. Droids wouldn't help, this… alternate Weiss was doomed if she tried to fight Nihilus.

" _He will still win - but it will force him into actually exerting his power in the fight. Not the power you've seen before now, just a modicum of his_ _real_ _power. Please, you cannot let him linger in Atlas - if he does, then thousands of people will die."_

Wait… the voice, it couldn't be…

" _I know you're tired, I know you want it to stop. But you need to delay him as long as possible, get him out of Atlas and stall him somehow. I'm trying to help him, his thoughts, his mind…"_

…Pyrrha?

* * *

1

* * *

 **A/N**

 **A chapter heavy on exposition, but necessary for what comes later.**

 **I'm not feeling too great right now (God I hope I don't sound whiny…) so I'll keep this brief: RANT! (Don't worry, I still love you all!)**

 **Don't believe everything at face value!**

 **I get PM's every now and then (about two or three a week) which is just readers saying things like 'but Nihilus said this in chapter x, but then a couple chapters later he says the exact opposite. Does this make you a bad writer since you can't keep continuity?'**

 **Ack, why? People** _ **lie**_ **. People say what** _ **they**_ **think is true - not what is** _ **actually**_ **true.**

 **Everything I write is subject to unreliable narrators, why? Because it's exclusive to the specific point of view from various characters. The vast majority of the characters think Nihilus is an evil bastard, but Nihilus thinks he's perfectly justified… the point I'm making is that everything is subject to different interpretations.**

 **For example!**

 **Right at the very end there? When Jaune is communicating with Pyrrha? Spoilers, but that's not her - Pyrrha is dead and gone, nothing can change that. It's subtle, but the signs are there - that is** _ **not**_ **Pyrrha. For hints go re-read chapter seventeen with Nihilus speaking to Ruby.**

 **RANT OVER!**

 **I still love each and every one of you, I'm just a bit irritable thanks to my recent circumstances.**

 **Reviews:  
**

 **Yomunot:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Thank you! I try to keep things interesting.**

 **Wraith isn't even half done yet, and thus some elements - like the horror - are either muted or absent. Horror will play a role, though perhaps not one most people would expect - when I chose those genre tags I was not referring to what the reader is intended to feel, but instead what the main characters will feel. Different, but I like to think it will work.**

 **The Powder Keg:** **  
**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **What we've seen of young Nihilus (blind Jaune) shows that he cannot 'see' Grimm - even with his aura sight. Nihilus in the present is... aware when Grimm are nearby, but for the most part he has no effective way to determine anything more than that. Well, I suppose he could just kill everything around him (not semblance), but that would make for a dull story - Nihilus kills everyone, story over.**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Indeed, narration from Nihilus' point of view. Like others, he is still biased towards his own opinions and beliefs - but Nihilus is equal parts deluded as he is all knowing, so when it comes to him just take a few details with a grain of salt. Or an entire salt shaker.**

 **Tobi14:**

 **Thanks for reviewing, twice…**

 **All members of RWBY are pretty… diverse… in their… skill… sets. Ack, screw politeness - RWBY (the team) is fairly worthless for anything other than being martyrs and more bodies to throw against the Grimm. RWBY (the anime) is something I equal parts hate as I do love - why? Because the overwhelming majority of the character are utter,** _ **utter**_ **morons. But because the world of Remnant is brilliant (to me), and I love to think about the different ways that society would work in a world such as that one.**

 **As for your question:**

 **I'd say that it is to some degree instinctive, like flexing your gut if someone's about to hit you, but it would get progressively better/stronger with practice and proper instruction.**

* * *

 **I'm sorry for the rant (well, mostly sorry…), I still love you all! But you know what would make me love you more? Leaving a review!**


	26. Death is the Road to Awe

Wraith

Chapter Twenty-six

Beta: Smithrooks

Death is the Road to Awe

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

"Your attacks are powerful, but inefficient."

Jaune panted from his position on the ground, sweat dribbling down his brow as he trembled on the spot.

"You waste too much of the flame Dust starting the spark - that energy would be better used controlling or expanding an existing flame."

When Jaune had demanded that Ozpin train him personally he knew it would be tough, he knew that it would be possibly the hardest thing he'd ever done in his life. But what he didn't expect was the _frustration_. Ozpin was Headmaster for a reason; he was the oldest living hunter for a _reason_.

The man was a beast.

He never raised his voice, never did more than calmly point out ways Jaune could improve. But when they _fought_ \- God, it was always an absolute slaughter. They'd started just over a week ago, and only _once_ had Jaune managed to make the elderly man even the slightest bit inconvenienced.

 _Hungry._

It had taken an entire _week_ for Jaune to make enough progress for the elder man to actually use his secondary weapon - gravity Dust.

Ozpin was obscenely quick even _without_ using Dust, but with it? The man was so fast he might as well have been teleporting.

"Are you listening to me, Mr. Arc?"

"Yes," Jaune groused as he pushed himself to his feet, his body screaming its protests as he did so. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said," the utterly unfazed man replied, "unlike combatants such as Miss Schnee, you do not have the luxury of using a blade in tandem with your Dust - so you can ill afford to waste your primary weapon on something that could be avoided."

Jaune gestured to the room around him - they were in some kind of sub-level of Beacon, and aside from something truly _horrific_ deeper within this basement, there was nothing here. The terrible… thing… was a person, apparently. Something had sheared her soul in half - Jaune had been, and still was, utterly disgusted when he'd first 'seen' her.

 _Hungry._

But Ozpin had explained that she was a huntress, and that he was using all available resources to figure out what exactly had happened, and how it could be fixed.

"What flame am I meant to take control of?" Jaune demanded a touch rudely, "There isn't any down here, and it isn't like there's going to be a convenient fire nearby every time I have to fight."

Ozpin's forest-green aura shifted slightly in what Jaune took to be some kind of smile. "True, but you are using up nearly a quarter of the energy within your flame Dust crystals on only the initial activation. What I suggest is you inscribe your rings with powdered Dust. Make it so your aura is what gives the starting power, not the crystal itself."

Jaune frowned. What did that mean? Was Ozpin saying that he should use his aura to… create the spark, and the crystal to do the actual leg work?

Ozpin chuckled lightly, "Here, Mr. Arc. Give me one of your rings and a fire Dust crystal, I shall show you my meaning."

Jaune removed the ring from his right hand and passed it over to Ozpin alongside a small, warm red crystal.

The two hunters were silent for a few minutes while Ozpin quietly worked on the ring - the crystal having been ground into powder under Ozpin's impressive strength.

Quickly, the work was done and Ozpin gave the ring back to its owner. To Jaune's blind eyes, it looked slightly different than it had mere moments ago - where before the metal had been saturated in Jaune's own white aura, now there were red… lines? Glyphs? Covering the ring all the way around. It even felt warmer on his finger, like there was a contained heat within the metal itself now.

"Go on then, Mr. Arc," Ozpin intoned, "Flex your aura to create the spark, and then use your own Dust to expand and control the flame."

Jaune thrust his hand out like he usually did, but…. nothing happened.

"Your aura must react against something, try pouring it into the ring."

That… didn't sound like something Jaune was interested in doing. That would mean that the finger the ring was on, or more specifically the space between the skin and the metal, would be where the spark took place - and Jaune had tried the whole burned hands thing, he wasn't keen on doing it again.

 _Hungry._

Could there be another way to do it? Ozpin had said that his aura needed to react against something, but why use the ring for that? The ring was the 'focus', but it would be more accurate to say the ring was where the excess energy was sent rather than where the energy came from. And if he needed his aura to react against something - preferably something non-flammable - could he just… make it react against itself? Click his fingers, make the aura in each grind against the other?

Theoretically it made sense, but would it work?

Jaune held his hand before him, focussing on the sensation of the aura in his fingers. Slowly, almost cautiously, he brought his fingers together and clicked-

An explosion tore through the air before the two men, Jaune being thrown off his feet from the power while Ozpin stood his ground.

"Unorthodox."

Jaune pushed himself up, a wide smile on his maimed face. It worked! And it was incredible too! So much more power! If he just aimed better next time then it would be far better than his previous methods of using Dust.

"That was much better, Mr. Arc," Ozpin informed him. "An unusual way to go about it, but very effective if you use it properly."

Jaune could only grin, his blind eyes turning towards the modified ring. Unusual it may be, but Jaune didn't like the conventional way much - this was much more _him_. "Can you do this to my other ring too?"

Ozpin hummed, "I could, but then you would be unable to use any kind of Dust outside of fire."

Oh… did the glyph thingy prevent use of other Dust types? That was quite the drawback… but… no, Jaune didn't like the idea of only having one hand empowered. He'd get Ozpin to do his work on his other ring, and then he'd go back to the jewelery store in Vale and buy two more rings - that way he could use his current rings for fire Dust attacks, and the other two for everything else.

Jaune's grin turned into a full-blown smile. With this kind of power, he could easily become the strongest hunter ever in no time.

 _Hungry._

* * *

 **Vale warehouse district, present day…**

Cinder Fall looked down at the black-armoured corpse her minions had brought her, the body ashen and barely even retaining some vague structure of the huntress it had once belonged to.

She had watched the 'battle' between this huntress and the Lord of Hunger intently, trying to see any signs or hints of ways she could manipulate Nihilus into her service, and by extension, the service of her master. She'd heard the words the two had spoken before and during the fight, and she was pleased this… _Jaune_ , as the huntress had called Nihilus, was utterly disillusioned to hunters and the current way of life in general. But now she just needed something… more. More personal, something that she could use to make him do as she wished.

"Cinder?"

Emerald, such a good little pawn. She had fooled the police into thinking that they had collected the body, while in truth it had been little more than an illusion to allow Mercury to bring the charred remains to her.

The ashen remains of the dead huntress inside were of little consequence or use, and as such they would be disposed of - dumped in a sewer or the ocean somewhere, it didn't particularly matter which.

But the armour - _that_ was important. If she were to even have a hope at bending this _Jaune_ , or Nihilus as he liked to call himself, to her side then she would first need to be capable of surviving his mere presence.

Like the armour Cinder had pried off the rotten and ashen corpse of the last huntress to confront the Lord of Hunger, this set was damaged. Like before, the helmet was missing, but like the other huntress foolish enough to directly fight Nihilus the gauntlets and arm plating had survived.

With little ceremony, Cinder divested the corpse of the salvageable chunks of armour, a small smile on her face in knowing that she was one step closer to being the most powerful person on the face of Remnant.

Either Nihilus would join her, and they could rule together - or Nihilus would _die_ , and Cinder would rule alone.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

Ruby stepped into Ozpin's office quickly, utterly lacking in her usual armour - to anyone who'd seen her, they would probably just assume that she was an elder sibling or the mother of the Ruby from this world.

Ruby stepped into the room, the elevator door barely getting a chance to open before she thundered past it.

The old Rose stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the hunched over figure of Pyrrha Nikos in a chair before Ozpin's desk, the sound of sobbing a jarring noise that forced Ruby to slow down.

Pyrrha was probably crying because Jaune was dead, Ruby reasoned. Ruby wasn't exactly sure how things would have panned out in this world, but considering that they were partners they had probably been close - and even closer due to whatever horrors Nihilus would have made them live through with him.

From the other side of his desk Ozpin subtly beckoned Ruby closer, the elder man's tight grimace showing for only a moment before shifting back to a comforting look. "I know this must be difficult Miss Nikos, but this is important." He paused for a moment to let the girl compose herself, "I understand that the Lord of Hunger explained to you who he was?"

Ruby quietly stepped closer, careful not to allow Pyrrha to see that she was here. Just seeing the red-haired girl brought back so many memories; reminders of a sad, if simpler, time when she'd comforted her version of the spartan girl after initiation. Of seeing Pyrrha laugh and smile alongside the horribly scarred visage of Jaune. Of seeing the girl's horror at the events of the Vytal Festival doubles rounds.

The thunderous sound of Crescent Rose firing on that snowy day, hearing the pained cry of a little girl… of hearing, _feeling,_ the absolutely agonised scream of horror from Jaune…

Ruby shook her head. Now wasn't the time to break down again.

Pyrrha, still seemingly unaware of Ruby's presence, began to speak. "Yes," the words were slightly strangled, "h-he said that he's an alternate version of Jaune…"

"No," Ruby finally announced her presence to the younger woman, Pyrrha turning around to look at her face. "He used to be be Jaune Arc, he's not anymore. Jaune Arc died when his semblance surfaced."

Maybe if she kept telling herself that, Ruby might even begin to believe it…

"Who…?" Pyrrha asked quietly, "You look like-"

"Ruby Rose," the elder woman announced, "I believe you have met my younger counterpart from this world?"

Pyrrha practically flinched backwards, "You-" green eyes widened, Pyrrha's face twisting into caution, "You're Ruby… you're the armoured huntress that fought Nihilus when we got back to Beacon?"

Ruby nodded, not sure where this was going.

Pyrrha flew upwards, an enraged look crossing her usually calm features. In a flash she crossed the distance between them, her sword already drawn and ready to strike at Ruby.

Ruby barely had time to blink before the attack was stopped, the wizened hand of Ozpin clutching Pyrrha's wrist tightly enough to stop the student from attacking the elder woman. "That's enough, Miss Nikos."

Pyrrha struggled mightily, but her strength was a mere pittance compared to that of Ozpin's. "Let me go!" she yelled, righteous fury alight in her eyes, "She's the one that killed Jaune!"

Ruby just sighed, she knew this was going to come up sooner or later… "Actually, I only did half the work. Blake was the one that struck the killing blow."

Pyrrha snarled and struggled harder. "You ruined him!"

"I did what had to be done," Ruby muttered, the intense desire to just run away and cry being pushed away like it usually was. "I killed a boy who could have become the greatest killer the world has ever known. Thanks to his death, and Blake's sacrifice-" _suicide,_ "-many lives have been saved."

Pyrrha finally stopped struggling, a bitterly agonised look crossing her face. "No…" she slumped down weakly, Ozpin gently guiding her back to her seat. "You didn't kill him. Nihilus… he… _revived_ Jaune."

The words were like a punch in the gut. Ozpin had said as much when he called her here, but for the girl to confirm it...

But Pyrrha continued anyway, either uncaring or not noticing the growing look of horror on Ruby's face, "Nihilus did something, his body collapsed to the ground and this… _light_ came out. And then Jaune was just _alive_ again."

Ruby knew what Pyrrha meant, knew what that 'light' was. But to use that power for something other than death and destruction wasn't something she knew Nihilus to be capable of - to create life, to revive the dead… just what the hell had Jaune _done?_ All those years in prison, all those years steeping in his hatred and self-loathing…

" _I will never forgive you. I will never forgive any of you!"_

That shouldn't be possible.

And it meant that Blake's death meant absolutely _nothing_. Nothing at all - not a sacrifice, like Ruby had told Weiss, but just… _nothing._

Ruby opened her mouth to speak, but a shrill alarm ringing out from Ozpin's desk terminal cut her off. The aged headmaster looked at something on the screen that was unseen to both women in the room, his face paling rapidly.

"What is it, Ozpin?" Ruby demanded quietly.

"Jaune," the male in the room muttered, "Nihilus and _Jaune_ have arrived at Atlas Academy."

* * *

 **Atlas Academy, present day…**

Atlas Academy, the central military power for the entire kingdom, and hunter school second only to Beacon itself.

Jaune couldn't help but think the building looked ugly.

Squat, grey, and probably about to be destroyed by Nihilus. The structure looked like it was little more than a bunch of rectangles assembled around an open courtyard. A few windows dotted the exterior, but overall the building seemed designed to be utterly utilitarian, built by someone expecting it to be attacked by an army.

But Nihilus was more than that. Nihilus was far, _far_ worse than an army.

More powerful too.

After spending several hours being carried by Nihilus across the ocean, Jaune was just happier to be back on solid ground, and also quite happy that the voice had stopped speaking to him. That _Pyrrha_ had stopped speaking to him. When she had spoken to him, it was… unsettling. At least when Violet had contacted him he'd had the benefit of never having actually met her alternate before - mainly because she simply didn't exist in this world. Whereas Pyrrha, _Nihilus'_ Pyrrha… that just made it seem more real, more likely that what happened to Nihilus could happen to Jaune too.

Nihilus laughed quietly from beside Jaune, the robed lord happily waving his arms around as he spun in circles. "Lovely to be back!" he cried, "As ugly as I remember!"

Alarms began wailing as Nihilus continued his happy little spins, no doubt they would be attacked soon. What had Pyrrha said? Distract him? Nihilus would probably distract himself in all honesty, dancing around like a lunatic while murdering anyone that got in the way of getting to Ironwood.

But Ironwood wasn't here, apparently. Jaune wasn't sure just how omnipotent and far-seeing an invisible dead woman was, so he was willing to take the not-his Pyrrha's words with a grain of salt.

"Ironwood! Ironwood! COME OUT HERE!"

But apparently Nihilus just hadn't figured it out yet.

Machines began flooding the courtyard, human-shaped mechs with rifles in their hands and small blades attached to their arms. They didn't really look like any model of Atlesian Knight that Jaune had seen before - too new, too advanced. But it really didn't matter. The hundred or so that began to surround the two Arc men may have been intimidating to anyone else…

But Jaune knew Nihilus. Jaune knew just the barest fraction of what Nihilus was capable of doing - the fire and gravity Dust rings were just two small pieces in the much, _much_ larger whole that was Nihilus' full power. With those rings and enough Dust, Jaune could probably wipe a city off the map, but compared to Nihilus? That was nothing…

"Oh?" the false lord smiled, "Such empty things! So devoid of any actual life… and yet-"

Nihilus stopped.

The false lord's mouth hung open, his sickly yellow eyes widening in some bizarre rendition of horror.

One of the machines stepped forward, shiny metal glinting in the weak Atlesian sunlight. This one looked different though; black metal plates instead of silvery grey, a bigger gun in its hands… "You've realised?" a feminine voice escaped the machine, the sound vaguely familiar to Jaune, "He's already left."

Nihilus said nothing, his yellow eyes beginning to twitch and his face morphing into an expression of pure anger and rage.

"You failed, Jaune," the droid raised its rifle, all the other machines around it following suit and pointing their weapons towards the two Arcs. "This is where your path ends."

"Says who?!" Nihilus finally spat, "A broken girl hiding in the shadows? The vaunted honour and pride of the Schnee family must have finally run dry! Come and face me!"

Schnee? That meant - Weiss. That was why Jaune found the voice familiar, Weiss Schnee was here somewhere. She must be remotely controlling the metallic knights, she was probably far away in some command bunker somewhere-

The sea of droids parted, and out stepped a black-armoured huntress.

-Or maybe she was foolish enough to actually be goaded into facing Nihilus directly. She may have an army with her, but Jaune couldn't exactly see that doing anything other than drawing her death out.

"Make no mistake, Arc," Weiss announced, her rapier pointed directly between Nihilus' eyes. "this is the end of you, I won't allow you to leave this place. Ironwood underestimated you, but I shall not."

"Ironwood, Ironwood, Ironwood…" Nihilus muttered, "He's not here. HE'S NOT HERE!" The false lord pulled himself up to his full height, a fraction taller than Jaune. "Tell me where he is Weiss, don't make me find out myself!"

"Oh, look at that," Weiss growled, "some of that lost sanity is coming back to you already. All the more reason to end you!"

Jaune stepped back, a stab of fear seeping through his heart. Nihilus was prone to anger, that was undeniable - but something was different now. A strange golden light surrounded the elder Arc, a feral snarl twisting his alien features. The gold light wasn't his aura; it couldn't be, as Jaune knew his aura to be white - and he _knew_ that Nihilus' aura was white too, having seen it intimately when the false lord resurrected him.

This gold light was… something different, something _else_.

"I saw your fight with Ozpin," Weiss taunted, "I know how powerful you are. I know what you're doing! Go on then, Jaune! Use them all, your army versus mine!"

Nihilus sneered, the golden light around him growing more intense. "You know nothing. You know nothing but your own arrogance!"

"Look at that delightful expression," Weiss spat, "like a ravenous wild dog. You were a hunter once! Fight me!"

Nihilus snarled.

Jaune staggered backwards as the golden light fanned outwards, sliding off of Nihilus and forming a… barrier, behind him. Like a vertical rippling pond of molten gold, the light stood behind Nihilus, eddies swirling around and disrupting the flow.

Weiss stepped backwards quickly, disappearing into the crowd of machines as Nihilus gave a feral shout of anger.

Jaune opened his mouth to speak, but words failed him as the veritable army opened fire, their rifles shooting off what must have collectively been thousands of bullets towards the two iterations of Jaune Arc.

Something rushed out from behind Jaune at a blinding speed, even faster than the bullets heading towards him. In the blink of an eye, Jaune suddenly found that there was a stone wall between him and the army of bullets, Nihilus with his hands knuckle-deep in the stone of the courtyard, having created the wall just in the nick of time.

But Jaune didn't have the time to stop and wonder as the golden wall of light behind the two Arc men… erupted.

 _Things_ came out. Elongated spear-like golden shapes, all traveling as fast as any bullet, launching over Nihilus' new wall and towards the legion of machines. The sound of rending metal was hard to miss, the screech of torn machinery acting as a violent undercurrent to the hail of bullets and gunfire.

The golden spear lights were _wrong_ though - looking at the spear-like weapons created a sense of deep discomfort in Jaune he could hardly describe, it was like some kind of gut instinct just telling him that whatever the golden _things_ were, they were unnatural.

Jaune staggered towards Nihilus, mindful to keep his head underneath the makeshift wall Nihilus had made. "What's going on!?" he howled in his counterpart's ear over the cacophony.

Nihilus growled and shoved Jaune aside, a thin silver blade skewering though the air where Jaune's neck had been moments before.

Jaune quickly regained his footing and dropped into an alien fighting stance that somehow he knew to be familiar. The rings helping him, no doubt.

The alternate Weiss quickly retracted her blade from the failed attack and turned towards Nihilus. She must have snuck around the hastily-made wall while Jaune was busy gaping at the unnatural golden lights.

A slash meant to divest Nihilus of his head was deflected by the false lord, white aura shining on the palm he used to push the strike away. With his free hand Nihilus lashed out with a flame-coated fist, the attack aiming to smash Weiss' faceplate in.

Jaune watched as, like any skilled fencer, Weiss danced out of the way of the attack and gained some distance in the process. She made to attack again, but with grace Jaune knew he would never be capable of, she suddenly jumped to the side.

One of the golden lances smashed into the ground where the black-armoured huntress had stood a mere second before, the stone of the courtyard burning and sizzling from the heat of the spear-like… thing.

Before Jaune's wide eyes, the lance that had nearly hit Weiss faded away, its golden light vanishing in an instant.

Weiss charged in again, her thin sword leveled to stab Nihilus through the chest, but this time the elder Arc was expecting it. With just a twitch of his fingers, lightning gushed outwards and poured over the attacking heiress.

Weiss caught the pale blue electricity with her sword, however barely. "Fight me, damn you!" she snarled as the energy arced from her sword onto her armour, "This is a mockery! Fight me with all you have!"

"Fight you?" Nihilus sneered, the output of power from his hands increasing, "I still have plans for you! Your form is suitable enough for the time being - You, Weiss Schnee, will serve as a suitable host for my daughter!"

Jaune could only watch in awe as Weiss was finally able to redirect the chaotic lightning elsewhere, the bolts of energy crashing into the side of the nearby school building. With a twirl of her rapier, balls of fire and ice hurtled towards Nihilus at breakneck speeds - speeds that Jaune was only able to follow thanks to the poisonous power and skill granted to him by the rings.

Jaune's other half battered the attack away with a look of pure contempt on his ghostly pale face, but he made no further effort to attack. Instead he let the now silent courtyard-

Silent?

Jaune looked upwards; the wall of rippling golden light was facing downwards. The sound of gunfire was absent, the hasty wall Nihilus constructed was gone, leaving the devastated courtyard in full view for Jaune to see. Charred and scorched remnants of the war-machines scattered the ruined plaza, all now silent and dead after having faced but the briefest glimpse of Nihilus' true power.

The golden wall of rippling light faced downwards, spear-like protrusions aimed towards Weiss threateningly.

Weiss lashed out with her rapier again, this time in the form of a charge. "She's dead!" Weiss barked as she attacked, her sword alight with fire Dust.

Nihilus stepped to the side, allowing the thrust to pass him harmlessly. "Her life may have ended, but her existence did not!" with an idle slap Weiss was thrown backwards, her rapier clattering against the ground as it left her hand.

Weiss rolled to her feet, her black armour sparking across the ground as she came to a stop. "You're insane."

Nihilus picked up her fallen sword, the fire Dust on the blade having faded the moment Weiss dropped it. "I waited," he whispered, "I waited in the dark for years. My hope crushed, my life ruined, and for what? For what, little Schnee? Revenge. I am not insane, I am righting what is wrong!"

The sword in Nihilus' hands crumpled to ash without a sound. In a single instant, the weapon just… died.

Weiss shouted in furious anger, though Jaune could hardly blame her. The loss of a weapon was devastating to any hunter, it was like losing a close friend.

But apparently Weiss wasn't completely defenceless yet; Jaune had hardly a second to notice the large red flame Dust crystals in both the heiress' hands before a massive gust of flame exploded outwards. The stream of fire was so large and so fast that neither Jaune nor Nihilus had time to dodge.

Had Jaune been faced with an attack like this prior to his… acquisition of the fire Dust ring, then he probably would have ended up down the majority of his aura - but this wasn't the case. A feeling of supreme rage passed over Jaune's mind so quickly, so absolutely that he didn't even question it - with merely a snap of his fingers the flame parted before it reached him, the burning heat of the fire rushing past him but not over him.

In moments the fire died completely, a pained grunt just barely making itself known over the sound of the flame dying.

Jaune's eyes blazed with anger, how dare that-

No, no, no… that wasn't him. Calm down.

"Do you recognise them?"

Jaune peered through the thin haze of smoke, his eyes immediately falling onto Weiss.

The golden wall of rippling light from before had disappeared. Instead, there were now only a couple little… pools? Spheres of the light were hovering around Weiss; all of them had a massively thick length of silvery chain protruding outwards.

And all the chains were bound around Weiss.

The armoured huntress struggled and fought fiercely against the bonds that held her, but they didn't budge. The chains held firm, not a single sign of even the slightest strain at holding the furious huntress in place.

Nihilus calmly walked towards Weiss, "I said, do you recognise them? Answer me!"

Weiss just fought harder, but still the chains didn't move.

"I suppose you would!" Nihilus cackled, "Your family helped make them, after all."

Jaune moved closer as Weiss' struggles began to wane, the alternate heiress huffing angrily from within her armour. "I won't give you the satisfaction," she hissed.

Jaune stood next to Nihilus now, a grim feeling settling into his gut. Weiss was going to die here - that much was certain. The robed lord swept forwards, looking much like he wasn't walking at all. Pale white hands gently ran over the cold black metal of Weiss' helmet, and despite the mighty struggles to shake his hands away, Nihilus didn't stop.

But he didn't kill her; slowly, perhaps even reverently, Nihilus' ghostly white hands traced downwards on the helmet. Finally he stopped, and then a moment later with a small hiss and a pop the metal came loose.

Nihilus dropped it to the ground.

This Weiss looked a little different to the one Jaune had known briefly just a over a week prior. This Weiss still had white hair and cold blue eyes, but unlike her younger counterpart this iteration of the Schnee heiress looked _tired_. Her eyes blazed with righteous anger, but her face told a different story - one of grief, one of loss, and one of _pain_.

It was only then, and only due to the lack of Weiss not dying, that Jaune finally noticed Nihilus' eyes.

They were _blue_.

Pale blue, not pale like Weiss', but the type of pale that spoke of blindness. This must be what his eyes _really_ looked like, what they looked like without the power of his semblance oozing outwards.

"See them with your own eyes," Nihilus purred, using his hands to forcibly turn Weiss' head to look at the chains that held her. "You said you watched my battle with the Lord of Sorrow, and when dear _sweet_ Ruby and I had those _talks_ , you would have seen them."

Weiss didn't say anything.

"ANSWER ME!" Nihilus screamed, "Tell me you KNOW THEM!"

Nihilus' grip tightened, his long nails digging into her skin and drawing blood.

"Nihilus," Jaune started, "maybe she doesn't-"

"Your chains."

Nihilus' grip only tightened at Weiss' admission.

"Raven's Rock Prison," Weiss gritted out, ignoring the small trails of red that were beginning to drip down her face. "Over one thousand automated guards, protected by Atlas' first and only attempt to create artificial life that was fully self aware-" Nihilus grip tightened further, eliciting a sharp cry of pain from the heiress before she continued on, "-all there for only one prisoner - you!"

Jaune stared at Nihilus. What the hell was Weiss talking about? Had Nihilus been imprisoned? He could certainly see _why_ , just not _how_.

The elder Arc leaned in closely to Weiss, his blind eyes boring holes into her skull. "And?"

"These chains-" Weiss hissed in pain, "th-they were forged by the Schnee Dust Company using-" the False lord's grip tightened, he was practically ripping her skin off at this point, "f-forged using an entire kingdom's worth of Dust and-" she cried out in pain, "-and made of Tartarus steel! ARGH!" Weiss was actively screaming now, such was the pain of having Nihilus stare into her soul, "T-They were meant to be unbreakable!"

Nihilus released his hold on her, Weiss' head jerking back as far as she could the moment she was free.

"I kept them," the dark Arc whispered, "I kept my chains. They are a reminder of my failure to ever achieve total retribution, just as my _Guilty Thorn_ is a reminder of my failure to stop their deaths from ever happening in the first place."

Jaune stared at Nihilus. What the hell was going on? What the hell were the two of them talking about? Raven's Rock prison? Unbreakable chains? Guilty Thorn? None of it made any sense!

Weiss looked up, her white hair matted with blood and sweat. Quietly, she laughed, a dainty little chuckle utterly at odds with what was happening around her. "You're insane," she laughed, "sitting in silence for years - that's enough to drive anyone mad."

Nihilus stared at her; his face may have well been stone for all the expression he showed.

"But it's worse than that," Weiss nodded towards the false lord, "driven mad by your own flesh. The _stink_ of humanity. You hate your own existence!"

"And that makes me more dangerous than ever," Nihilus whispered, a hateful look in his blue eyes.

"Do it then," she smirked, "because we both know that you will never get what you want."

Nihilus snarled as his eyes flashed a sickly yellow, and a moment later Weiss died.

* * *

1

* * *

 **A/N**

 **I feel I should apologise for the unfair rant I had last chapter, I was stressed and in a foul mood. So I am truly sorry.**

 **That being said, let's get onto more cheerful things! Like Cinder cropping up again! Haven't seen her since Yang died, when she took some of Yang's armour… which she now has more of… nearly a full set even…**

 **Oh, and Weiss died. Bummer for her? The only member of RWBY I feel the slightest ounce of actual affection for is now dead, leaving poor old Ruby alone to face Nihilus. Hmm… I won't say, but I suspect it won't involve a happy ending for all parties.**

 **Well! Poorly hidden hints aside, let's look at the reviews:**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **More hungry goodness in this chapter.**

 **Jaune's semblance is a forceful one, insidious in the way it twists the user - Jaune is hungry, but he will never be satisfied. Every time he 'eats', he will only want more.**

 **Tobi14:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Thanks for understanding.**

 **Violet died due to a simple mistake rather than any malice on Ruby's part. RWBY simply didn't know that she existed - but Ironwood did, and is (partly) the reason Ruby hates Ironwood.**

 **Oh, I think the Grimm make excellent SECONDARY antagonists - always in the background, ready and waiting to take their due. But they will - or should - always play second fiddle to the human (general term, includes Faunus) 'evil' of Cinder, Tyrian, Hazel, and Watts.**

 **You have an interesting interpretation of how Ozpin see's RWBY, and one I would disagree with - if purely on the basis that RoosterTeeth seem set on making him a kindly old man that tries his best to do right by people.**

 **Alternate Ruby has had a rough deal of things, that much is for sure. But she hasn't quite lost her faith in humanity - only in Jaune. Ruby will still go out of her way to help those in need and those who can't help herself. Jaune on the other hand, (SPOILER) never really got the chance to become the anti-hunter that Ozpin trained him to be. Jaune failed in achieving his dream, Jaune failed again and again... and eventually, he just stopped trying.**

 **As for the Faunus; they are different, that much is true. But people said the same thing back when blacks were considered (officially) second class citizens in America - basically, the Faunus are going to hit a crossroads; either they follow a Malcom X style of equality (Adam), or they attempt a Martain Luther King Jr style (Blake). The former is going to end one of two ways - they lose (more likely) and they are right back where they started, or they win (less likely) and racism would continue - only now it would be in reverse. The path Blake wants would be slow and painful, but would work out better in the long run. It may not benefit the individual, but it will make things better over generations.**

 **Death-The-Horsemen:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Thanks! I try.  
**


	27. On a Pale Horse He Rides

Wraith

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Beta: Smithrooks

On a Pale Horse He Rides

 **Atlas, present day…**

Nihilus clutched Weiss' soul in his hand.

It was so tempting to consume it, to let the soul dregs of his former acquaintance feed his never-ending hunger.

But no, not yet. He wanted Weiss to _see_ what he was going to do. Robbing someone of their soul without destroying the body was tricky, but he'd done it. The perfectly intact corpse of Weiss Schnee was still bound in those _wretched_ chains before him - it was dead, but the cause of death simply stemmed from a lack of any soul to stir the heart into beating.

Restoring that to life would be simple, far simpler than restoring his younger counterpart had been. Really, it was a wonder he'd been able to mend the dead boy at all! It had what, maybe ten percent of its original soul left? Plenty of aura still kicking around, though perhaps he would generate aura slower now…

What… what had he been thinking? Why was he tired? So tired… but he was happy too! Happy because he'd… killed someone… was that snow he felt? Nihilus _hated_ snow. That wretched, vile snow! It was snowing when… when...

No! Focus!

Weiss' soul writhed and squirmed in his grip, his iron will halting her essence from fading away. She had the audacity to say that he will never achieve his goal? She was a fool! Nihilus would get his way, in this world and in a thousand more! His hatred would never die, his need for justice would never fade. Not _now_ , and not _ever._

Nihilus would continue onwards for all eternity, he would let _all things_ die and turn to ash just to get his revenge.

Like everything else had! He'd watched, _watched_ , as eternity slipped away by him. So long did it take to get to this iteration of reality… he may have actually overdone it when first opening the Rift - _may_ being an understatement, as this world seemed to have evolved with the Rift always being there… whoops?

"Nihilus?"

Dear sweet _Jaune_ , the utterly broken and hollowed thing that he was… his soul - or what was left of it - shivered in disgust as he stared at the icy blue soul of Weiss Schnee. What was wrong? Was he not pleased? _Jaune_ should be rejoicing that in mere moments Violet would rejoin the world!

 _Jaune_ may not actually be her father like _he_ was, but they were family nonetheless! Violet would be reborn; sure, the shell she inhabited may be different, but that didn't matter much to Nihilus. If his dear daughter asked, then Nihilus would do some… _remodeling_ ,just as he had done with his current stolen body.

"What are you doing, Nihilus?"

Foolish boy! Couldn't he see that Nihilus was thinking?! How dare he interrupt his-

" _Calm, old friend. Soothe your ailing spirit."_

The voice rose up to the edge of perception for mere moments, taking only as long as needed before fading away and taking Nihilus' rising irritation with it. A second later, it was gone.

The world blurred, shifted, and Nihilus forgot.

What was he doing? Spoken words were fickle and fading, much like actions only of the physical nature. Words of the soul, just like actions of the soul, were infinite and unbound in their nature - so much better to show the little _Jaune_ what he was doing.

With his free hand, Nihilus called forth the errant soul of his daughter, so small and tiny compared to what she used to be. She didn't struggle and writhe like Weiss did, she just sat there like a good girl waiting for her father! Yes, like a good girl…

With the gentlest of hands, Nihilus guided her into the empty shell of what used to be the body of Weiss Schnee. "Behold," Nihilus said aloud, his words utterly at odds with the speech of his soul, "my daughter is reborn!"

The spoken word was fickle and fading, a transient thing compared to what he was actually saying. As Nihilus pushed the soul into the empty shell, his soul spoke the real words - words spoken only between the father and his daughter. _"I will protect you,"_ her soul seeped through the skin. _"If by your return we will be together then I will rejoice in it, through this I will stay by your side for all eternity."_ The heart gave its first shuddering beat _, "Unbound by distance, laws or death, our souls will stay together. I will protect thee."_

Eyes opened, not icy blue, but the deepest of purple.

Nihilus' sickly yellow gaze looked back.

* * *

 **Atlas, present day…**

Jaune took a wary step forwards, adrenaline still pounding away in his body.

"Behold," Nihilus cried joyously, his eyes back to the blind and pale blue Jaune knew to be his natural eye colour, "my daughter is reborn!"

The elder Arc placed the hand with a faint purple glow upon the the empty shell of a body that used to be the alternate Weiss Schnee. In his other hand, he held an orb of violently pulsing blueish white light. It looked… angry.

He didn't want this to happen; Jaune knew what it was like to be held back from death by Nihilus. It was a hell utterly unlike anything the experience of being alive could have prepared him for - physical pain and suffering were so completely trivial compared to the damning feeling of having everything you were torn away from you. But the feeling of being pulled back was _worse_.

Being pulled _back_ was like having your soul ripped in half. Part of you wanted nothing more to return to the life left behind, but the larger part wanted nothing more than to just let go and let oblivion have its way with you - and then to be torn away from that, with the desire still there, it _hurt_.

It hurt so badly.

Jaune stared at the empty and dead body of the friend he'd never had. Weiss Schnee was still dead, it didn't seem like anything was-

Two violet eyes opened.

The eyes looked at Nihilus for a moment, the irises expanding until almost none of the exquisite colour remained.

Then she _screamed_.

It wasn't a scream of pain. That word simply didn't do it justice. It was a scream of absolute and all-consuming _agony_ that words alone couldn't describe in any fitting way. She howled and howled complete torment, no words leaving her - only screams.

"Violet?" Nihilus begged, his free hand trying to hold the girl still in the unbreakable chains that bound her. "Violet? What's wrong? Tell daddy!"

The body of Weiss Schnee writhed and flailed about as much as the gleaming chains would allow, her wailing screams deafening compared to the lack of other noise in the decimated courtyard.

"Violet," Nihilus pleaded, his face twisting to show his desperation, "tell me what's wrong! Tell daddy what he can do to fix it!"

Jaune knew that Violet must be suffering, but this? Something was seriously wrong. Had Nihilus made a mistake in bringing her back?

Or… or was there not enough left? Compared to the glowing ball of icy blue light that Weiss was, Violet had just been the merest of pinpricks that was barely visible. Souls faded when death occurred, Jaune knew this. Had Violet been fading away this entire time? Or had Nihilus, however he had originally done it, only snagged the tiniest fragments when he saved her soul?

The Violet that was now forced into the body of Weiss could very well be just a shadow of what the actual girl had been.

The shining chains around her unravelled, the clanking of the steel barely audible over the continuing howls of the new Violet. The possessed body of what used to be Weiss Schnee flopped to the ground and jerked uncontrollably, her now purple eyes wide with some indescribable emotion as she screamed.

"Speak to me Violet," Nihilus begged, gently trying to stop her from moving. "Speak to me, _please!_ "

She just screamed and screamed, the only pauses being the minute gasps of air.

"Nihilus," Jaune edged forwards, his hand coming to rest on the back of Nihilus' right shoulder. "I don't think it worked."

"No…" Nihilus began to sob, his futile attempts to calm the twisted parody of his daughter ceasing. "No, it isn't fair…"

The screams continued, unchanging and unrestrained.

"Nihilus, I think we should go…"

They definitely should - who knew how long it would take before they were confronted with another legion of battlemechs? Jaune wasn't interested in sticking around to find out. He… had no idea how he was going to fix the Nihilus problem - the problem being his mass-murdering alternate self. But what had the _not-_ Pyrrha said? Keep him distracted? Sure, and while he was at it he'd also convince Nihilus to give up being an evil nutjob who wears robes.

It was impossible. What the hell was Jaune meant to say to get Nihilus away from cities?

With a jerk, Nihilus tore his shoulder free from Jaune's comforting grasp, the younger Arc stumbling slightly at the motion.

Nihilus' left hand still held the glowing light of Weiss' soul, but as the false lord lifted the shining orb upwards with a suddenly hateful expression on his face, Jaune knew something was wrong.

Violet's screams ground to a sudden stop when Nihilus' right hand brushed over her forehead, the girl going limp with unconsciousness. For a moment Jaune feared that Nihilus had killed her, but the slow rise and fall of her chest told a different story.

But Jaune didn't have time to ponder it.

Not a moment later, Nihilus jammed his hand into the glowing light of Weiss' soul. "Tell me what you've done!" Nihilus shouted at the light.

The sound that followed wasn't a physical thing, but something… deeper. To Jaune it felt like someone had jammed a knife into his core and was wiggling it around. The utter and profound _agony_ that the 'noise' let out was terrible.

"TELL ME!" Nihilus roared, seemingly unaffected.

Jaune felt like wailing himself, but what happened next made him stop dead.

" _I don't know!"_

The voice sounded like it was coming across a great distance, like it was _stretching_ just to reach them. But worse, it was like twisting the knife the 'scream' had left moments earlier.

And it was _Weiss_.

Nihilus reached deeper into the light, his fury mounting as he tore away at what remained of Weiss.

" _ **Stop him!"**_

The voice of Pyrrha was sudden and loud to Jaune's senses, like she was shouting in his ear. It spurred Jaune into reaching out to Nihilus once again, this time blindly obeying the command given to him by the wife that he'd never have.

But it was too late. The light that was Weiss _shattered_.

It was almost beautiful, in a terrible, sad way. Cracks splintered and coursed over the ethereal light, and a moment later it broke apart - hundreds and thousands glittering pinpricks of light just… fading.

Even Nihilus stared in shocked silence at what he had just done, his sickly yellow eyes wide open with disgusted horror.

" _He's killed her."_

Pyrrha again. But Jaune didn't see why she sounded so disgusted or why Nihilus looked so horrified - Weiss had been dead anyway, what made this any different?

" _It's different because he didn't just kill her!"_ Pyrrha's voice snapped, _"Jaune just_ _ruined_ _her. There will be no afterlife for Weiss Schnee; what remains will be trapped in the space in-between forever."_

That disgusted Jaune, that explained their reactions. It also brought up interesting questions about what exactly the afterlife was, but Jaune's horror overrode his curiosity. The in-between was the absent place Jaune had been in when he'd died, and he'd only stayed there for the barest few minutes...

"I…" The elder Arc whispered, "I- I didn't mean to…"

Jaune stayed silent.

"This… this isn't my fault…" the pale man whispered, as he crawled over to the body that now 'belonged' to his sleeping daughter. "This… this must be Ironwood's doing!"

Ironwood? Nihilus was just placing blame now, though Jaune could hardly fault him. In his situation, Jaune couldn't say he'd do any differently.

"Yes!" Nihilus suddenly shouted, "It must be him! All the more reason for me to extract my justice!"

Jaune just sighed, his eyes drifting to the body that used to belong to Weiss Schnee.

Nihilus lifted himself upwards, carrying with him the unconscious body of his 'daugher'. "Tell me, _Jaune_ ," he practically hissed, near-glowing yellow eyes locking onto the younger boy. "What should we do? The Lord of Pain isn't here! Tell me, Tell ME!"

Nihilus was angry, _very_ angry. It was directed at Jaune, but he knew that he wasn't the cause of it. Nihilus was just lashing out, and Jaune was a convenient target, especially given that everyone else nearby was either dead or unconscious. Ironwood was the real target of Nihilus' anger, being this 'Lord of Pain' - though the reason for the title was lost on Jaune.

"W-well…" Jaune said uneasily, not quite sure how he was meant to do this. "I, maybe we should… um, go to Ironwood?"

"We could," Nihilus mused, his temper apparently down to a simmer now, "but, but! We could draw him here instead!" the false lord gestured to the ruined courtyard around them, "This is his school! This is his _city_! If we destroy it, he will come! The death of Atlas shall serve to bring him to us!"

Jaune's eyes widened to the extreme. Destroy Atlas? Nihilus was strong, unbelievably so, but was he really that powerful? Could _anyone_ be that powerful? He was far stronger than Jaune was, but that was driven by unbelievable hunger - something Jaune prayed was exclusive to Nihilus alone, and that no one else could ever be cursed with.

 _"There is no strength in the hunger he possesses,"_ Pyrrha's voice slithered into his mind, _"the will behind his power is a primal thing. And it devours him as he devours others—his mere presence kills all around him, slowly, feeding him. He is already dead, it is simply a question of how many he kills before he falls."_

How was that helpful?! Nihilus was suggesting that they annihilate an entire society, murder thousands of people! And for what? To bring one man here? How the hell was that justified? What could _possibly_ justify that?

"We can't!" Jaune near shouted, "Atlas has thousands of people in it! We can't just kill them all!"

Nihilus drew closer to Jaune, the limp stolen body of his daughter in his pale hands. "And why can't I? I have before."

 _I have before_.

The words hung in the air like a poison, cancerous in their nature and so very telling for Nihilus' personality.

"Last time I made him watch," the dark lord grinned slightly, "I made him stare into the flames as Atlas was torched to the ground. Then I took all that he was, and made him mine."

Jaune took a step backwards, the already horrified expression on his face twisting into true disgust and revulsion. He'd known Nihilus was a murderer - that much was hard to miss. But this? Nihilus was genocidal, Nihilus was a monster. He… he was just as bad as the Grimm.

No, Nihilus was _worse_. Grimm didn't make you watch, Grimm didn't kill thousands just to draw out a single man.

"No!" Jaune yelled, "Can't you see how wrong that would be?"

"Right and wrong are just labels," Nihilus hissed, "words used to condemn or extol based solely on personal opinion. Is it not _wrong_ to organise the death of a little girl? Is it not _wrong_ to have someone who used to be my friend, _Ruby,_ pull the trigger?"

"It's not the same!" Jaune cried, "He ruined your life, he killed your family. But how does that equal an entire civilisation?!"

Nihilus reached out and slapped Jaune across the face, the blow feeling like it was done with solid steel rather that the back of his hand. "I am taking from him what he took from me. Ironwood dedicated his entire life to building _Atlas_ , to protecting _Atlas_ , and then ruling _Atlas_." Nihilus sneered, "Atlas is Ironwood's child, it is all he lives for! And just as he took all that _I_ live for, I will take everything from him!"

Jaune's cheek stung madly, but he didn't let that stop him. There were too many lives on the line, too much chance of people dying for him to hesitate for even a moment. "B-but what about Ruby?" it was a last-ditch attempt more than anything else, but Jaune still had to try.

Nihilus' sneer shifted to confusion. "Ruby? She is in Vale."

Jaune was desperate now, but… well, he had to buy _time_ , not an actual solution. That's what Pyrrha, Nihilus' Pyrrha, had said anyway. Getting Nihilus to not destroy Atlas and go to Vale instead was a terrible plan, especially since it could very well turn out with Nihilus just destroying Vale instead… but it used _time_ , time that Pyrrha had claimed she needed to solve the problem. "Y-yes, but you said she was the one who pulled the trigger! So- so shouldn't she be the one who you want justice from?"

"Ruby pulled the trigger," Nihilus muttered, "but she was only a puppet. I will never forgive her for what she did. But with the death of her team, Ruby is now completely alone in the world. Her punishment can be life!"

Crap, crap… what could he say? He had to delay Nihilus. Ironwood was going to Vale, Ruby was already in Vale, Beacon was there… "But- but if you go to Vale then both Ironwood and Ruby will be there! And that way you can deal with both at the same time!"

Nihilus shook his head, "Ironwood must suffer before he dies. Killing his spirit a second time will be delicious."

Jaune winced, a new idea popping into his head. A truly terrible idea, but still an idea. "W-well, uh, have you considered… doing it differently this time?"

Nihilus just looked at him.

"Yeah, um… you said that last time you made Ironwood suffer by destroying what he cares about." This was a terrible suggestion, "So… maybe this time you could hurt him… physically?"

Nihilus blinked, however pointless the action was to him, and let a grin split across his face. "That's an excellent idea!" he cried, "For this life, I will make him _beg_ for death to stop his agony!"

Jaune felt distinctly sick, but he pressed onwards anyway. "Y-yeah, and the fastest way to get to that would be by going to him in Vale."

Nihilus hefted the sleeping 'body' of his daughter as his grin widened. "Yes! Good, good! Come Jaune, we will return to Vale!"

Jaune could only hope that the solution Pyrrha promised was coming quickly, otherwise Vale was doomed.

They would all die…

And it would be Jaune's fault.

* * *

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

"The Vytal Festival is only two days away now."

Jaune hummed from his chair. "And?"

"Is your team planning on competing?"

 _Hungry_.

Jaune peered briefly at Ozpin's soul, no deceit or trickery - just a straight question. How novel. "Yes, I think Cardin mentioned something about that. Should be fun, I suppose."

Ozpin shifted slightly in his desk chair, "If you are to compete, then I think that will be an excellent learning experience for your future… role."

He meant future role killing rogue hunters. The meaning wasn't lost on Jaune. The things Ozpin had been teaching Jaune in the weeks since they'd started the training… they were lethal. _Very_ lethal. Granted, it had helped boost him up in the combat class rankings - but that seemed very… insignificant compared to everything else.

Although it was nice to be in the top ten of the class. Team RWBY was still beyond his power to defeat individually, his closest match being Weiss - if only because of her use of Dust. NRVR, Pyrrha's team, was a mixed bag; Russel was easy, Ren was a challenge that Jaune had a fair chance of winning… Pyrrha and Nora were totally beyond him though. His own team were total pushovers now though.

They didn't like it when they found out that particular detail.

But Jaune was learning to take down _people_ rather than Grimm - it was to be expected that he would have an advantage over his classmates who lacked the same _luxury._

 _Hungry_.

"You want me to see foreign fighting styles?"

Jaune shifted his fingers slightly, all _four_ of his rings making a pleasant clicking sound as he did so. When Ozpin did that… stuff… to his original rings, Jaune had seen fit to get another two rings so he could use more than just fire Dust again. The new rings were apparently a slightly different colour than his original ones, but Jaune didn't care about that - why would he? Blindness tended to grant a certain degree of apathy.

"I want you to enjoy yourself, Jaune," Ozpin had taken to calling him Jaune; a strange sign of, dare he say it, friendship between the two of them. "This is perhaps going to be one of your few chances to enjoy the relatively simple life of a hunter-in-training."

Perhaps friendship was a strong way to say it; their relationship consisted entirely of Jaune trying to set Ozpin on fire, and then Ozpin taking him into his basement to pound him.

Yeah, the implications of that weren't lost on Jaune.

"Whatever," He really wasn't interested in the Vytal tournament. "Are we going to work on the aura stuff or not?"

Jaune had taken to teaching Ozpin about all his discoveries regarding the soul, as not only did it make for excellent conversation, but it was also an admittedly petty way for Jaune to get back at Ozpin for his whole situation. Like saying 'haha I worked out more about aura in months than you did in over fifty years!'

Petty? Yes. Necessary? No. _Satisfying?_ Definitely.

"Indeed," Ozpin intoned, his aura soothing over. "let's."

It was weird how slowly Ozpin was picking it up. At first Jaune had thought it simply because the man was old and thus learned slower. But anyone who spent any significant amount of time around Ozpin would eventually admit that the man was as sharp as a sword, so it had to be something else.

 _Hungry_.

Ozpin's forest aura flowed out tentatively, going slowly and steadily towards the blind boy. Jaune on the other hand had much less trouble with it, and his white aura oozed outwards smoothly and entangled itself with Ozpin's spirit.

This was an… odd technique that Jaune had discovered shortly after he began teaching Ozpin. It was something that required two people, so he hadn't ever really thought of it before.

Aura was like water running out of a faucet, the soul being the deep reservoir within that said water comes from. But the soul wasn't technically _within_. It just sort of… existed. The soul took on weird shapes too - and it varied between people! That was the most fascinating part; Ozpin's looked like a kindly older figure hovering over his shoulder, gazing with benign green eyes. Pyrrha's soul looked like a lion, fiercely protective to those she cared about as it paced around in step with her. Cardin's looked like a proud eagle, noble and strong as it soared over his head.

And Ruby's looked like… a small dog. Like a corgi or something.

It was weird.

For a time, Jaune had thought that Ozpin's soul was the only one that would resemble that of a person, but then he'd seen Ironwood's soul - a rigid grey thing that looked to be the powerfully cut figure of a tall man, covered in splintering cracks that had sealed over in scar-like lines.

Jaune knew what his own soul looked like, but he'd only found out yesterday when he'd finally managed to do this successfully. The reason he hadn't known was simple; how can you look at the thing you're using to look with? It's like trying to look at your own eye, it just doesn't work without a mirror.

This… this was like a mirror.

 _Hungry_.

It basically amounted to intertwining their aura until the connection was strong enough to 'switch'.

In short, they swapped souls briefly.

It was painful, but not in the physical sense. There was a moment of deep _hurt_ on a level that neither Jaune nor Ozpin could quite grasp, then there was a moment of intense _cold_ … then warmth.

For Jaune the world took on a slightly different tilt, remarkably similar, but still just different enough in every aspect for him to notice. This was how Ozpin felt the world through his soul, and no doubt if Ozpin were to 'look', then the elder man would see his own soul hanging over Jaune's shoulder - the green visage of the kindly old man.

For Jaune, he peered at his own soul that suspended itself above Ozpin.

Jaune's soul, so similar to that of Ironwood and Ozpin, stared down at him. White in its nature, looking to be the unimposing figure of a man with flecks of random colour smattering his chest and arms: gold, red, green, silver…

It was odd though - the other colours looked entirely alien, like they were droplets of paint…

"Ah, it never ceases to amaze me, to look at my own soul."

The connection snapped with Ozpin's withdrawal of aura, and the stained white of Jaune's soul snapped out of focus and back into the blind boy. It stung, but any damage was soon soothed over.

"You see why this is important now?" Jaune asked as he rose to his feet. It was time to leave.

Ozpin hummed pleasantly, "Indeed. Oh, and Jaune? I will be unavailable for further training for the duration of the tournament - you will have to make do on your own for a little while."

Jaune cracked his back, stiff from sitting for so long. "I'll make do, I suppose."

"Good luck in the tournament, Jaune."

Jaune stepped towards the elevator, "I'll be sure to do my best, sir."

It wouldn't do have a sub-par performance, no. If Jaune was to compete, then he'd make sure he made it a Vytal festival to remember.

 _Hungry._

* * *

1

* * *

 **A/N**

 **You know something is pretty messed up when even Nihilus thinks he's gone too far. What he did to Weiss was damning, as that particular incarnation of her will never,** _ **ever**_ **get to greet her friends in the afterlife. The personality of Weiss Schnee is dead - but, and slight spoilers, there is more to her story yet. Memories and feelings will linger even after the death of personality.**

 **Vague and unhelpful, but a hint nonetheless.**

 **That being said, let's look at the reviews!**

 **Thelastcenturion2015:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Thank you for your kind words, I appreciate it!**

 **As for Doctor Who: I have, but I haven't really watched it consistently or in any kind of order since the end of David Tennets run - not to say I don't like Matt or Peter, I just haven't really had time for them.**

 **The Powder Keg:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Nihilus technically held onto her soul anyway - he just wasn't aware of it until he revived Jaune and got his 'insight'. As for how Nihilus does this... well, without spoiling anything I'd remind you that Nihilus is basically a God - and that he is currently in possession of several thousand souls thanks to his semblance.**

 **Tobi14:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Pretty much, yeah.**

 **Ruby is many things - guilty and justifiably angry included.**

 **Nihilus wasn't actually in isolation - he had two people speaking to him on a regular basis. He just** _ **chose**_ **not to speak back. Thus the 'years of silence' comment from Weiss.**

 **Nihilus will never actually complete his goal, as his goal is literally unending. The reason behind Nihilus' anger over Weiss' comment wasn't the implication that he couldn't** _ **physically**_ **do it, it was the implication that his will would falter first.**

 **Weiss was indeed the most proactive, but her story isn't over yet.**

 **Humans and Faunus may have different needs - but a simple conversation can prove to both parties that intelligence is there. Pain, hatred, love, and compassion can be felt from both sides - thus whatever differences they have are only there so long as they choose to** _ **act**_ **on those differences.**

 **Jaune Black Smudge:**

 **Thanks for reviewing - and sorry for being snappy before, I was rather stressed at the time. I'm open to talking if you want.**

 **Nihilus has had them the entire story thus far - he has just never felt the need to use them. Enkidu (the chains) were the chains he was bound in when he was imprisoned. The gate of Babylon (the lights) are him using absorbed souls as a weapon - literally firing them at his opponents.**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Weiss had a rough deal, both in live and in death.**

 **See? I can do the meaningful part for you.**

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading! Don't forget to leave a review!**


	28. Reversion

Wraith

Chapter Twenty Eight

Beta: Smithrooks

Reversion

 **Beacon, present day…**

"Pyrrha?!"

RWBY plus Ren and Nora stared at her collectively.

"H-hello…"

Pyrrha felt Ozpin's hand settle on her shoulder in a vaguely comforting manner, gently spurring her forwards.

"As you can all see," the headmaster informed them pleasantly, "Miss Nikos is safe and unharmed."

Pyrrha suppressed a wince. Nothing was really safe from Nihilus. Once that man found an object of desire, he would never let go. Not ever.

"It's good to see you well, Pyrrha," Ren said kindly, "but what of Jaune? What of… the criminal?"

This time Pyrrha couldn't hold back the wince, and it came out in full force. There really wasn't a tactful way to say this… "He's still-"

"As of yet, we have been unable to recover Mr. Arc," Ozpin cut her off, "but rest assured, we are doing everything in our power."

The young hunters bar Weiss and Blake visibly deflated at that, but they were quick to hide it. "Well it's great to have you back Pyrrha!" Nora practically shouted, though the lack of JNPR's leader was obviously still weighing on them.

"Yeah…" Pyrrha muttered, the massive guilt at leaving Jaune with his elder counterpart still tearing at her heart.

"If you'll all excuse me," Ozpin announced mildly, "I must see to other matters." His eyes flickered to Pyrrha, "It's good to have you back, Miss Nikos."

It seemed kind enough, but Pyrrha could read the subtext in that. _Don't tell them about who Nihilus is. Don't tell them where he came from. If that information spreads there would be panic, and we can't allow that._

So she had to lie. Maybe give an abridged and edited version of events. And definitely don't mention who Nihilus really is, or the fact that he was able to resurrect Jaune.

"Come, Pyrrha," Ren held his hand out to her, "be with friends."

It would be a long story…

* * *

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

She didn't know what to do.

Pyrrha… just didn't know what to do.

She was just outside Beacon, sitting in the shade of an old tree. Pyrrha had run here as soon as the bomb had been dropped.

She'd spent all morning in Ozpin's office; all morning being told crazy things. Things about fairy tales, about Maidens for all the seasons that held magical powers. About how these Maidens were guardians, but how the latest Fall Maiden was dying.

About how Ozpin wanted Pyrrha to replace her.

Pyrrha just… she didn't know what to do.

It was her destiny to be a protector, a hero, a guardian… but the way Ozpin made the procedure of becoming a Maiden sound… it almost sounded like if she chose to accept this, then Pyrrha wouldn't be _Pyrrha_ anymore.

Was that really worth it?

That thought alone immediately made Pyrrha feel like the most selfish person in the world. Of course it was worth it! She could save so many lives with the power of the Maiden at her side, she could be the guardian that her destiny wanted her to be.

Then why was she hesitating?

Pyrrha was… afraid.

She wanted to save the world, but she didn't want to die achieving that. She wanted to live in said world afterwards. Pyrrha wanted to love, to marry, have children, grow old… she didn't want to die young.

Pyrrha didn't want to be just another martyr. Remnant had hundreds of those already.

She… she needed to speak to someone, _anyone_ about this.

She couldn't ask her own team; Russel was a _fan_ , so he would just nod along and praise whatever left her mouth. Ren and Nora were out too since Pyrrha didn't feel particularly close to either of them. Really, her team was only held together based on mutual interest in becoming hunters - they didn't socialise outside of training and classes.

She wouldn't ask RWBY - the girls were great and all, but their collective wisdom was around that of a brick. Smart yes, wise no.

That left her best friend to ask, wherever he was right now. Jaune was elusive and tricky at times, but he was deceptively wise and cunning.

The tournament was only a couple of hours away from starting, but Jaune wouldn't mind breaking off from his team to speak with her - he was nice like that.

She dialed his number into her scroll.

It rang silently for a few moments, no doubt with the blind boy on the other side fumbling around as he tried to find the answer button.

Finally, the call connected.

"Hello?"

Jaune was… upside down. The image of his cloth-covered eyes bored into the screen from an inverted angle - which wasn't actually that uncommon whenever she called Jaune, though she didn't blame him. The guy was blind, so how was he meant to know which way up to hold his scroll?

"H-hey Jaune…" Pyrrha liked to think she controlled her emotions pretty well, but right now that control just wasn't there.

"Pyrrha?" he asked, "What's wrong?"

"Can…" Pyrrha didn't bother to hide the slight prickling of tears in her eyes - he wouldn't be able to see them anyway. "Can we talk? I need your help."

Jaune's expression, normally so carefully controlled, shifted into open concern. "Sure thing, just give me a second and I'll be right over to you."

"Thank you…"

The call ended just as quickly as it started, the image of Jaune's upside-down head vanishing quickly. She didn't need to tell Jaune where she was - he was able to find anyone if he'd met them before. While Jaune had taught her the basics of aura sight, she wasn't even remotely close to being anywhere _near_ his level of skill with it.

Where Pyrrha could see aura for a couple of metres if she concentrated, Jaune had once mentioned that if he really put his mind to it he could see all of Vale.

An entire city…

An entire city full of innocent people that needed a guardian, that needed a _Maiden_.

Pyrrha felt like crying.

She didn't know how long she sat there, but the miserable thoughts were rather abruptly broken when someone thumped down next to her - their back against the tree and right shoulder just brushing her left.

"What's up?"

Jaune.

He was just wearing his usual jeans and hoodie, the plain clothes so utterly at odds with what most young hunters liked to wear. Jaune looked… plain. Not in a bad way, but in a _Jaune_ way.

"Hi Jaune…" she whispered, not really trusting herself to speak. If she did she wasn't sure she could stop the tears.

He didn't speak for a moment, as was the norm with Jaune. He was very introspective like that… but when he did speak, it was always insightful.

"Why decide?"

Sometimes too insightful.

He'd explained it to her once, the things looking at someone's soul could tell you. Pyrrha hadn't quite been able to understand, but Jaune had just smiled when she told him that.

"It's important," Pyrrha said quietly, not turning to look at her friend. "I could save lives…"

Jaune 'hmm'ed in a way that was very _him_. "You can save lives anyway. Unless this is different? Unless you could save more lives…"

Pyrrha just nodded.

"But there's a catch?" Jaune paused for a moment, "You're afraid of losing something very important…"

"Myself," Pyrrha whispered.

Jaune was silent.

Pyrrha glanced at him, quickly noting in mild surprise that he had removed the bandanna over his eyes. Scarred, maimed, and pale blue eyes that saw nothing peered into the cloth in his hands, the dark green bandanna sitting limply in his palms.

"Change can be painful," he said eventually, though Pyrrha wasn't entirely sure he was speaking to just her anymore. "But change can also grant happiness."

A tear escaped the corner of Pyrrha's eye, "You think I should do it?"

She was afraid…

Jaune smiled lightly, the scars on his face twisting grotesquely in a way most people would call ugly. To Pyrrha it was just… comforting. "No."

"No?" Pyrrha echoed, hoping desperately that Jaune had the answer to her problems.

"When you choose to save someone," the blind boy's smile turned just a touch melancholy, "you choose not to save someone else."

She… she didn't understand.

Jaune must have felt her confusion though, "You could save a hundred lives today and die in the process, a hero for others to aspire to. Or you could spend your days as a huntress, saving just a few lives every time you kill a Grimm - not many, just one or two. But do that for a couple years? A lifetime? Thousands of lives saved, yours included."

Jaune fully turned to face her, his fearsome appearance offset by his kind demeanor. "When you choose to save someone else, you choose not to save yourself."

"But…" what he was saying made sense… "but isn't it the right thing to do? To save as many as I can now?"

"Who says it's right?" Jaune retorted, "Some stuffy old philosopher who died hundreds of years ago? Pyrrha, right and wrong are just words. It's what you _do_ that matters. So what do _you_ want?"

Jaune didn't say anything else; his blind eyes just looked at her blankly while she turned over his words in her head. It was what she did that matters… what did she want…

Pyrrha… didn't want to die. Even if her body lived, Pyrrha didn't want to not be _Pyrrha_.

"I don't want to go," she finally said.

"Then don't," Jaune replied, "it's your life, you can choose how you live it."

 _You can choose how you end it._

Pyrrha smiled, not a fake one, but an actual smile. She had her answer.

Ozpin and his little shadow group could find someone else.

Pyrrha was going to live the way she wanted to, not how anyone else told her to.

She wasn't going to be a Maiden.

* * *

 **Amity Colosseum, many years ago…**

It was _loud_.

The thunderous sounds of thousands of people within the floating stadium was hard not to notice, so loud was it that it neared painful levels. Jaune's teammates didn't seem to outwardly care that much, but with the merest glances at their souls Jaune could see that they were nervous.

And for good reason too.

It was the first day of the tournament, and much to Jaune's displeasure, his team, as well as team BRNZ of Shade had been chosen as the first teams to fight. They would be the opening battle for the entire competition, and if Jaune remembered his basic psychology correctly, their battle would also be one of the most memorable.

 _HUNGRY._

Ack, and he had this terrible headache. His skull was _pounding_. It felt like someone was playing the drums using his skull.

Jaune liked to think he was pretty apathetic as to what people thought of him, but to have several thousand people watch you all at once? That was stressful. No amount of apathy could completely wash away the nervous tingle Jaune was feeling.

"And from Beacon, we have team WASB!" Professor Port shouted through the stadium's massive speakers; Cardin, Jaune, Sky and Dove marched onto the stage in uniform order just as Cardin had drilled into them so many times. "Among these strapping young lads you might recognise the face of Jaune Arc! Hero of Vale and the man who single-handedly held back the Grimm during the Breach!"

Jaune hid his wince and waved as the crowd cheered wildly for him. Cardin had warned him this was likely to happen, and the larger boy had told Jaune in no uncertain terms to play the crowd - make WASB the favourite.

So Jaune waved, carefully giving only a small smile that wouldn't twist the scars on his face too much. As usual, his disgustingly damaged eyes were covered by a plain bandanna, but the lower half of his face was still visible.

"And hailing from Shade Academy in Vacuo, we have team BRNZ!" Doctor Oobleck announced, the opposing team met with noticeably less cheers than the Beacon team.

The other team stood across from WASB. Oobleck was saying something else, but Jaune didn't listen - he was too busy peering at the souls of his opponents. It probably constituted as cheating since Jaune now had pretty much full access to what made them, _them_. But hey, who was going to stop him? The only other person who knew about the ability was Ozpin, and he didn't seem to care.

 _HUNGRY._

The throbbing in Jaune's head was growing worse, the constant and painful rhythm beating away at his thoughts.

"So you're the so-called Hero of Vale?"

Tall, male and with a copper-coloured soul. Probably the leader Brawnz Ni.

"You shouldn't be worrying about him," Cardin bit back, his voice just a touch defensive.

"If I were you, I'd be more concerned about us," Sky added, his aura flickering in mild contempt.

The others still weren't pleased that Jaune was stronger than them. Oh sure, they were happy to _use_ Jaune's new might whenever it suited them - they just weren't happy to admit their relative weakness when compared to him. Really though, what could they expect? Jaune had never hidden that he was training with Ozpin, they just didn't want to admit he was improving faster than they were.

 _HUNGRY._

Jaune's head was pounding, and he felt a sick feeling of rabid _hunger_ in his gut.

The girl on the other team snorted, "You guys don't have a reputation for wiping out hundreds of Grimm in one attack," she pointed her rifle towards Jaune, "he does."

She had a purple aura. Jaune liked the colour. It made him feel… feel…

 _HUNGRY._

Dove muttered something rude.

Jaune shook his head, weakly attempting to clear away the haze his thoughts were resting in. He had to focus, the roulettes were about to decide the arena.

The roulettes spun to a stop, the irritating clicking noise ceasing with it. Jaune had no idea what they stopped on though, but they had planned for this. The other team didn't necessarily know that Jaune was blind - though the cloth around his eyes hinted at it - and Cardin was unwilling to allow any advantage to slip through his fingers.

So they lied.

"City and forest, eh?" Cardin said aloud - to anyone else it would just seem he was strategising, but Jaune knew it was directed towards him.

The broken ruins of the fake city rose up behind the Beacon team, and the forest rose behind the Shade students. Both teams were poised and ready, their weapons primed and their auras waiting in anticipation.

Jaune's fingers twitched, ready at a moment's notice to cause a violent explosion should he wish it.

"BEGIN!"

As per the plan Cardin had set forth, Jaune acted first.

Jaune felt the warmth of his fire Dust, and then he clicked his fingers.

BRNZ could be the fastest team in the world when it comes to readying their weapons, they could have been the fastest shots and quickest draws in the entire land.

But it still wouldn't have been faster than Jaune snapping his fingers.

The ground underneath BRNZ exploded outwards in a burst of violent flames, each member of the opposing team being thrown bodily away by Jaune's fast attack.

Fortunately for them though, they all possessed the near-unnatural reflexes of hunters; so while their auras were visibly - to Jaune anyway - lower than they had been, the teens were able to catch their footing and land without much fuss.

And so began stage two of Cardin's master plan.

Cardin, Sky and Dove each sprinted in and attacked the three male members of the team while they were preoccupied with their landings.

That left the girl with the nice purple aura for Jaune.

 _HUNGRY._

Jaune felt sick.

"So," Jaune said conversationally to the girl, his teammates decimating the opposing team while he spoke, "what's your name?"

Her aura flickered in agitation as she raised her rifle, prepared to shoot-

Jaune clicked his fingers again.

She was thrown to the side, this time unable to stick the landing. The girl, whatever her name was, hit the ground roughly and bounced a few times before she finally rolled to her feet, aura lowered once again.

Honestly, compared to Ozpin these guys - and girl - might as well be snails. Just three attacks in and Jaune had taken nearly half of this girl's aura. Compare that to the closest he'd ever come to beating Ozpin; the one time he'd gotten the headmaster to 99% of his aura - which was still totally a victory, even if it had only resulted from the elder man slipping on some spilt coffee.

"May Zedong," the girl gasped as she steadied herself.

"Nice to meet you," Jaune said pleasantly as he clicked his fingers once more.

May, to her credit, wasn't completely unprepared this time; instead of being absolutely rag-dolled like before, she managed to half-dodge the small explosion by jumping backwards into the forested area of the arena, the force of the blast actually helping her get away.

However, Jaune just sighed. The girl was nice enough, but this latest move on her part showed a depressing level of tactical ineptitude.

Really, Jaune expected better.

 _HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY-_

Jaune shook his head, a brief wave of nausea washing over him.

The mistake May made was a fairly obvious one - why try and hide in a forest when your opponent has already shown his ability to create and manipulate fire? Did she think him incapable of burning a few trees?

Silly girl.

The pleasant purple aura that Jaune knew to be May worked her way up a tree. Had Jaune actually been using his eyes, he might have actually found it difficult to locate her. But as it was now? Her aura stuck out like a sore thumb, the purple contrasting with the dull green of the trees.

The crack of a rifle shot rang out, but Jaune had already 'seen' the attack coming, so all he had to do was lean slightly to the side to avoid the bullet.

Her aura flickered in agitation.

Jaune didn't much care though, he felt deeply sick and his head was pounding - he wanted to get this over with. Now.

Jaune felt the warmth of his fire Dust, and then he clicked his fingers again.

The trees around the Vacuoan girl combusted into violent flames, a painful scream ringing out a mere moment later as she too was caught in the fire. She wouldn't die - Jaune would either extinguish the fire or get out before that happened, but while she was still eligible to compete she would find little mercy from Jaune.

"MAY!" One of her battered teammates screamed in horror as he jumped away from Cardin, "We need to save her!"

Jaune only stood and watched as the guy who had called out broke off from combat with Cardin and ran towards the trees. He ran past Jaune with hardly any hesitation. Cardin moved to follow, but Jaune shook his head - why bother chasing him? The idiot was running into a forest fire.

Jaune wasn't sure whether to be pleased or utterly disappointed when the other two remaining members of BRNZ followed after him.

 _SO HUNGRY_.

Jaune nearly vomited.

Dove and Sky didn't bother chasing after the morons as they ran to the burning girl of the team. They knew Jaune well enough to know that he had absolutely no problem exploiting any mistakes his opponents made.

Jaune gathered his power, his aura flexing like a well-used muscle. Then he clicked his fingers.

The forest burst into flames.

Not just a little section of it like he'd done with May. This time the _entire_ forested half of the arena combusted.

Jaune and the other three members of NRVR simply stood and listened to the pained screams of BRNZ.

The crowd was going wild, equal parts cheers and shouts of dismay to the sight of the blazing forest fire Jaune had created. Professors Port and Oobleck were shooting off commentary rapidly.

But Jaune didn't hear it.

His head was pounding, the light of the thousands of souls within the stadium intoxicating.

 _ **HUNGRY**_ **.**

It felt like someone was bashing Jaune over the head.

The screams within the burning trees were getting just a touch too agonised for Jaune's taste, the noise blurring just a smidge too close to actual physical pain, rather than the pain of having your aura roasted away while it tried to keep them cool.

Cardin nudged him, "Put out the flame, if you don't they'll be hurt."

Jaune didn't bother answering with transient words. The blind boy forced his will outwards, his aura reaching over the flames and _demanding_ that they cease. They fought back, as was their nature, but Jaune didn't allow for the dissent to last - his will created the fire, and his will killed the fire.

As the flames died Jaune breathed deeply, the ashes of the charred half of the arena hanging in the air like a poison.

"Flawless victory for Beacon and team WASB!" Professor Port shouted from his position in the commentator's box. "And what an explosive start to this year's Vytal tournament!"

"A round of applause for our winning team!" Oobleck seamlessly finished for the other man.

The crowd roared their approval.

 _HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY-_

Jaune had never felt more disgusted than he did right now.

* * *

 **Vale, many years ago…**

Cinder stared at the massacre before her - not the literal type of massacre that is, but a pathetic excuse for a fight. Cinder herself was watching via the television, not daring to show herself in the arena itself since her expulsion and discovery at Beacon. She couldn't allow Ozpin to find her, not this late in the game - not when she was so close to enacting the final stages of her plan.

Emerald and Mercury were in the arena in disguise, carefully watching how things played out, and immediately informing her if anything were to deviate from the projected plan. Their active participation wasn't actually necessary until the final rounds of the tournament, but it was best to be prepared.

In the meantime however, all Cinder could do was wait. Wait and watch.

Team BRNZ - the losing team - weren't terrible fighters, but they were overwhelmingly average as far as hunters in training of their year level went. The same could be said of the opposing team from Beacon - with a single exception. WASB had three normal members, but their fourth was… something else.

Jaune Arc dominated the fight in the arena below, his use of fire Dust highly advanced for someone of his age and level of training. A single snap of his fingers had sent his opponents into disarray, and a few more clicks had decimated the team.

All the while he looked distracted. Distracted and uninterested.

But Cinder knew something was _wrong_. She'd fought the boy herself, however briefly, during her assault on the CCT, and afterwards when he was able to recognise her. He hadn't been this skilled then, he had barely been able to contend with her laziest of attacks – now, though? Now he looked like he was hardly paying attention to his enemies. Should anyone weaker have attempted this it would have backfired, but Arc… Arc was something else.

His rate of progress since their last 'battle' was astounding too - before he had been underwhelming and below average. Now Cinder would probably peg him as being able to contend with second or third year students! All that in what, a few weeks? If he stayed at this rate of progression then he'd be an absolute monster by the time he graduated - perhaps even stronger than she herself was currently. And that was an impressive feat on its own, given her access to the powers of the Fall Maiden.

Power like that had to be dealt with. The fools Tyrian and Watts would probably advocate for Arc's death, but they lacked Cinder's insight.

Cinder liked power, she craved it.

Jaune could come into her service; that way he could be allowed to live, and Cinder herself would gain a powerful ally.

She knew the boy had it in him too. She could _tell_.

Funny thing about fighting; when one becomes skilled and develops their own style, said style tends to mirror their personality and thought patterns.

Jaune was… direct, but also extremely subtle. The poor fools from BRNZ probably didn't even realise how Arc was generating the explosions, how all he needed was a tiny sleight of hand to cause devastation. He never once seemed rushed or particularly phased when the sniper-wielding girl attempted to shoot him - this indicated a level head and a calm demeanor.

But best of all was the callousness.

Jaune's enemy fled into the forest, so what did he do? Set the forest on fire. His opponents rushed to help their teammate? Jaune burned down the battlefield around them.

Those students could have been badly hurt, they might have even been killed if Jaune had not been careful. But Jaune's solution showed his apathy, his uncaring nature towards those that were his enemy.

All Cinder would need to do was twist that apathy into anger. Anger led to hate, hate led to suffering… suffering led to power. And Cinder could use his suffering, use his suffering and direct it towards her enemies.

Cinder smiled.

* * *

1

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Sorry for the delay, I've just had one of** _ **those**_ **days…**

 **Reviews:  
**

 **ZHsteven:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Indeed, Ozpin is largely responsible for what Nihilus became later - far more so than the influence of Cardin and his team.**

 **The Powder Keg:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Thank you, I try. And yes, Nihilus has a very flexible sense of morality - but even he has his limits, there is still some empathy buried in him... somewhere...**

 **That's okay if you don't have questions (that won't spoil anything), I appreciate your review anyway!**

 **As for your statement - you are correct. Nihilus absolutely loathes his own existence - every moment of it is basically a waking nightmare, but he won't let that stop him. Nihilus believes that he fights for a cause greater than himself, anger, hatred, and pain are what drives him forward.**

 **Tobi14:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Nihilus has done some pretty messed up things, this was perhaps one of the crueler ones.**

 **Jaune saved thousands of lives by delaying Nihilus, but it was just that - delaying. The Lord of Hunger will get his due, one way or another.**

 **The relationship between Ozpin and Nihilus is an odd one, it has gone through many changes and shifts, but it will end in a way that may surprise you.**

 **What inspires me to write isn't a 'dark' Jaune, quite the opposite actually. What is good? What is evil? Both are concepts relative to the individual - people don't do 'evil' things because they want to further the cause of 'evil'. If you considered 'evil' to be positive, would that not make it 'good'? Thus meaning that you can only further 'good'. The point I'm trying to make is that everyone is the hero of their own story, Nihilus feels his actions are perfectly justified retribution for the crap he went through - in his situation I would have done the same.**

 **Good and evil are just words, life is about the individual. Preconceptions of what is right and wrong are only relevant so long as you wish to conform to what is expected of you.**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **In a nutshell? Yes. There's more to it, but you captured the basics. of what Nihilus did to Ironwood. Except now he has to watch…**

 **ZombieFrog:**

 **Thanks for reviewing. Ah, how I wished I could have responded to this one as it came rather than having to wait…**

 **Thank you! You are too kind.**

 **While the current body Nihilus possess isn't his original as seen in the many years ago segments, it isn't Ozpin's. Someone important with blue eyes…**

 **Nihilus is essentially a ghost, a wraith if you feel punny. He is possessing the body and forcing the actual owner to watch… Nihilus' finest cruelty, right there. As for how Nihilus died the second time (without spoiling anything), it wasn't at the same time as Pyrrha and Violet. Violet was an accidental murder, and Pyrrha was intentional - chapter 27 actually gives the biggest hint about it so far, combine that with the aura rounds Ruby had...**

 **I loved KoTOR 2, and there are many similarities there. But Nihilus' name is relevant to the character - he believes in nothing. Absolutely nothing. His entire life crumbled to ash around him, he has nothing to lose, nothing** _ **matters**_ **to him except his justice.**

 **Thank you! I tend to dislike stories that give everything away, mysteries are** _ **fun**_ **. Especially when there are small hints scattered and dropped all over the place.**

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading, and don't forget to leave a review!**


	29. Thus I Cruelly Scatter

Wraith

Chapter Twenty Nine

Beta: Smithrooks

Thus I Cruelly Scatter

 **Amity Colosseum, many years ago…**

Why? Why? Why?!

 _HUNGRY._

Jaune's gut twisted, and his aura cried out in agony.

Cardin grabbed Jaune's shoulder, a consolidating grip that was firm, but also kind.

Jaune felt like vomiting. It had been nearly a week since they'd destroyed team BRNZ in the first round of the competition, and in that time all the other full team fights had been concluded - thus moving the tournament onto the doubles rounds.

Doubles that Jaune and Cardin were now expected to participate in.

Right now.

Jaune felt like he could hardly stand up.

It wasn't a stage fright thing. But Jaune really felt sick - he had all week, barely leaving his dorm room to hang around with the now much more lively Pyrrha. Other than that he had just slept and rolled around in bed wallowing in misery.

And he was just so _hungry_.

It was pounding away at him, gnawing at him like a parasite. But it was _wrong_. Jaune was hungry, but he couldn't _eat_. Sky had been nice enough to bring Jaune food early in the week - and Jaune had initially attacked the meaty sandwich with all the gusto of a Beowolf. But he just couldn't eat it! It had tasted like ash in his mouth, his body rejecting the food within seconds.

Oh, and Sky had been rather offended when Jaune gagged and vomited after the first bite.

The school's doctor had visited and failed to work out what was wrong, suggesting that Jaune just 'sleep it off'. Because that was brilliant medical advice.

And even now Jaune felt like he was dying, but he did his best not to show it.

Cardin had decided that he and Jaune were to be the ones competing in the doubles round; with Jaune being a crowd favorite and Cardin being a better fighter than both Sky and Dove.

But Jaune just felt so _HUNGRY_. It was killing him.

"And from Beacon, we have Cardin Winchester and Jaune Arc!" Doctor Oobleck practically shouted from the commentary box, "After their explosive showing in the team matches I'm sure we're in for something exciting!"

The crowd roared their approval.

 _HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY._

Jaune felt dizzy.

"Facing them we have Penny Polendina and Ciel Soleil from Atlas!" Port shouted, his voice overly loud thanks to the massive speakers, "Vale versus Atlas, who will win?!"

Jaune shuddered as his opponents walked onto the grey-tiled centre of the arena; the second girl had a rigid and well-defined soul, very blue and controlled. But _Penny_ was the girl from the docks incident. Penny looked _wrong_. She had aura - a lot of aura actually - but she had no _soul_. There was just nothing inside her, it was like a festering absence of _anything_. Just a gap in Jaune's sight, an empty black spot.

"Salutations, fellow hunters!" the soulless thing said cheerfully.

Jaune grimaced but nodded his head in greeting anyway.

"Hey there," Cardin's grin was painfully evident in his voice.

"Don't start flirting," Jaune muttered, "you _really_ don't want to."

"Well-"

Whatever comment Cardin was about to make was cut off as the arena roulettes spun to a stop, the irritating clicking noise dying in favour of something Jaune couldn't see.

"City and Volcano," Cardin whispered to Jaune, all playfulness leaving his voice as he prepared for battle.

 _HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY._

Jaune gagged.

City again? That was odd. But it was a shame that they didn't get forest a second time, since their previous strategy seemed like something that would work on pretty much anyone. Although… the volcano side of the arena held promise in that regard. Jaune wasn't too sure about setting it on fire, especially given that _it already was_ , but Jaune did enjoy making fire _bigger_.

"BEGIN!"

Wait, what? When did-

It felt like a truck plowed into his face, the force of the blow strong enough that Jaune was reasonably sure that without aura his skull would probably have caved in. Instead, Jaune was just treated to a nice migraine.

Oh, and he was plowed backwards into the ruined city half of the arena, the concrete shattering and breaking as his body did an enviable impression of a cannonball.

Jaune rolled onto his back as he came to a stop, his body feeling distinctly bruised from his sudden flight and just as sudden landing.

"Evidence indicates that you are the strongest member of your team!" Oh look, it was the soulless thing, Penny or something. "So I will fight you until my teammate defeats your partner, and then we will fight you together!"

Why was she telling him her strategy? That didn't seem like a very wise tactical decision. But maybe the key to common sense was to have a soul, and considering that she was lacking one…

"Lovely," Jaune groused as he sat up, dully noting that Penny had followed him into the fake ruins. "I have a counter suggestion though."

Her aura was cold and empty, but apparently it could simulate some level of emotion. Some dull approximation of _curiosity_ wormed through the green aura. "I would love to hear it, fellow hunter!"

 _HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY._

Jaune's world shook for a moment, an intense feeling of sickness creeping up on him. But he slapped it back down. He didn't have time for that. He raised his right hand, fingers poised to click, fire Dust thrumming in his pockets.

"How about _no._ " Jaune snapped his fingers.

The explosion was a satisfying one, very hot and firey right at Penny's feet. And, being completely honest, Jaune may have put slightly more power into that than strictly necessary - but that was for punting his across the entire arena.

But… something was wrong.

Penny hadn't _dodged_. No, it was simpler than that. She _blocked_.

About half a dozen swords connected to her by… wires? Jaune couldn't quite tell, had shielded her from the blast.

"Ah, I see!" Penny exclaimed cheerfully, "This is the in-fight banter friend-Ruby has told me about!"

She was mocking him. She _had_ to be mocking him. No one could be this oblivious and powerful at the same time. It just didn't work.

"And now for my witty rebuttal," the soulless, but oddly cheerful thing edged closer, "your face!"

Or maybe she was just an idiot? "Ooh, scathing," Jaune muttered sarcastically, his attention shifting to his earth Dust.

"Thank you!"

Okay, she was definitely a little simple. Jaune pushed himself to his feet, the earth Dust in his pocket thrumming as he began to tap into its power-

 _HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY._

Jaune both physically and metaphysically staggered, his aura wailing as he fell to his knees. He felt like he was dying, like the entire world was pressing down on him…

"Are you okay?"

Jaune lashed out.

It was an angry and poorly executed attack, but an attack nonetheless. One of the nearby ruinous buildings just _shattered_ in its place, the masonry breaking apart as Jaune's frustration took ahold of it. The falling stone was gripped roughly by Jaune's control and hurled towards Penny, the blind boy's pain serving to empower the attack.

But it was rough, something Jaune would have done before training with Ozpin. And it showed, since Penny batted the flying stones away with relative ease.

"May I enquire why you cover your eyes?"

 _HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY._

The oozing auras of the thousands of people in the stadium shifted and swirled deliriously in Jaune's sight, moving in a way more connected to his current haze rather than their actual movement. They all looked so bright, so intoxicatingly bright and colourful to his vision, like he could reach out and touch them…

No. Focus.

"I-" argh, his head felt like it was trapped in a vice, "I'm blind."

"Really? And you are still able to fight? Fascinating!"

Oops, hadn't Cardin said something about keeping that a secret? Too late now.

Well, she did have a point though. This was a fight, and they were just talking. What to do, what to do…

How about fire and gravity? That was always a nice combination.

 _HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY._

For just a moment the world swam.

Jaune's focus sharpened, pushing away the troubling sickness that was gnawing away at him. One of his gravity Dust crystals ebbed and flowed outwards, and suddenly the world seemed to grow infinitely lighter.

Jaune clicked the fingers of his right hand again, this time impossibly faster than he had the first time. Of course Penny raised her gauntlet of swords to block again, but that was the plan. Jaune, aided by the fact that he now weighed about four kilograms, leapt forwards and around the blast - less than a second after charging, he practically appeared in the air behind Penny, his fist raised for a punch.

 _HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY._

Everything was shaking, wobbling and his head was _pounding_. It _hurt_.

But that didn't stop him.

With just a moment's concentration the gravity Dust inverted its effect, and Jaune suddenly weighed just over a tonne. Jaune dropped from the air like a stone, his fist smashing into the top of Penny's head with all the force of a speeding semi truck.

And good God did it hurt.

The ground beneath them became a crater in the blink of an eye, Penny thrown down like she was a rag doll.

Jaune released the Dust as he landed. "Fuck!" He shook his hand. It felt like he'd broken every bloody bone in there! "What the hell are you made of?! Titanium?!"

Her aura seemed to spark, the dull impression of shock and… horror? showing through as she got to her feet, _far_ too quickly. Anyone else taking a blow like that would be out of the fight either permanently or for a few minutes at least, so how the hell was she getting back up?!

She hiccuped, "M-me? No! I am just a normal girl!"

Yeah, and Jaune was actually a flamingo wearing the skin of a defeated human.

 _HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY._

The migraine seemed to get worse, the constant pounding in his head. Like something was pressing down on his skull, the force intolerable.

Jaune staggered, his left hand reaching up to clasp his head in a weak effort to dull the tremendous pain.

"You don't look very well…" Penny lifted herself to her feet somewhat robotically, her voice empty of anything but concern. "Are you sick?"

Jaune opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was a wail of distress as he dropped to his knees.

 _HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY._

It hurt. _Everything_ hurt. This was infinitely worse than the pain of burning himself to death, this was a soul-deep agony that crashed through his spirit with reckless abandon. It was killing him, body and soul, it was killing him.

"We need medical assistance!"

Jaune vaguely heard the sound of the soulless thing, but his own torment was too much. Everything felt like it was crashing down onto him, but at the same time he felt ready to explode. The sickening mix of colour from the thousands of people within the stadium was driving him mad. It was so tantalising, so desperately tempting to reach out…

 _HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY._

Jaune was screaming. It was so painful, like he was just _missing_ something. Like a part of his soul was just empty and void where there should be life and fullness.

"Hey kid!" Someone was shaking his shoulders as they shouted at him, "Kid, what's wrong!?" Their aura was so _red_. It was so tempting, like it was calling out to him!

 _HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY._

"I don't see any injuries!" It was someone else, a very yellow aura. It was screaming for him! Begging him!

 _HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY. HUNGRY._ _ **"HUNGRY!"**_

"Hungry?" the red aura drew closer to him, so tantalising, so close… "Come on kid, help us out here!"

The dam broke all at once.

" _ **HUNGRY!"**_

The world around Jaune seemed to still, his hands grabbing onto the closest things he could reach - the red and yellow auras of the two men standing over him.

" _ **HUNGRY! HUNGRY! HUNGRY! HUNGRY! HUNGRY!"**_

It was like a sudden clarity had come over him; the intoxicating feeling of having pure energy flow inwards was like nothing he'd ever felt. The terrible pain from mere moments before faded to nothing, so utterly overshadowed by the ecstasy of whatever was happening.

Someone was screaming above him. But the narcotic pleasure Jaune was feeling tore away any worries, any concerns, all things were just _right_.

But then it stopped, the flow of power just… ending.

The ashen corpses of two men dropped to the ground on either side of him.

Jaune screamed.

He wanted _more_.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

He was coming.

He was coming…

Jaune was coming to Beacon. Or rather, Nihilus was coming to Beacon.

"We need to meet him head on!"

How Ruby _hated_ that man.

Ironwood had only recently arrived, and already he was calling for war. Not that it would do any good. The Lord of Hunger was a force of nature, meeting him head on would only end with them dying sooner rather than later.

What was the point anymore? With Weiss dead they had no hope of defeating what was left of Jaune. They could throw an army at him, and all they'd achieve was a mountain of corpses.

"What do you suggest, Miss Rose? You have the most experience with him, you would know better than James or I."

Ozpin was kind about it, as well as being terribly optimistic about it. Both he and Ironwood believed they had a chance of winning. Ruby knew the answer though. They did not. She had seen her Ozpin fight Nihilus - and the Ozpin of her world prior to his death had been far, _far_ more powerful than the Ozpin of this world.

"He will be here within the hour?" Ruby asked eventually, both Ironwood and Ozpin nodding to her question. "Facing him head on and on his terms would end poorly. You two and the students should evacuate, let me face him alone."

She would die. That much was beyond doubt. But Ruby was alone now; Yang, Blake, Weiss… they were gone. Yang consumed by her hatred, Blake overcome by her sorrow, and Weiss ruined beyond what Ruby could fully grasp. It was just her. Team _Ruby_ , not team RWBY.

"You would stand no chance!" Ironwood slammed his hand down on Ozpin's desk, "You saw the security footage from Atlas, he can't be beaten alone!"

No. He couldn't be beaten at all.

"I knew him the best," Ruby glared at the foul form of Ironwood, her hatred for the man plain to see. "Before his fall, Jaune and I were friends. Not close, but still friends. I know how he thinks, far better than my teammates."

Ruby would die. She could fight for as long and as hard as she wanted, but she would die. There was no escaping that.

"I can beat him."

No she couldn't.

"I can win."

She wouldn't.

"Are you sure, Miss Rose? James and I could stay and provide aid in the battle." Ozpin looked at her with brown eyes filled with sorrow.

"I still don't like this plan," Ironwood muttered.

Ruby faked her best smile, but it did nothing for the anguish she felt inside. "I'm sure, Professor. Take the students and get out of here, I'll handle the rest."

"Very well, Miss Rose." Ozpin typed something into his computer, the speakers around the school crackling to life as he began his announcement. "Attention all students and staff, this is an emergency announcement."

Ruby smiled grimly.

"Evacuate the school and gather in Vale. I repeat, evacuate the school as quickly as possible, we do not have much time. The Lord of Hunger is coming."

It was up to her now. Ruby knew she stood no chance, and after her death Nihilus would probably continue on and kill more… but she would be at peace. She could see her friends and family again, she could finally just _sleep_.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

"The Lord of Hunger is coming."

Weiss wasn't truly afraid of many things, but this… Lord of Hunger was one of them.

Back when he'd defeated them in Forever Fall just over a week ago it had been beyond effortless, like he barely had to acknowledge their presence for him to crush them. Add to that the terrors that Pyrrha told them about, the murderous rampages, the destruction of an entire village...

So with the order to flee, Weiss wasn't particularly distraught. No doubt Headmaster Ozpin and General Ironwood had a plan to deal with the threat, and after the rogue hunter was defeated they could return to the school.

"We have to stay!"

Sometimes, most of the time, Weiss hated Ruby Rose. The _child_ that had been placed as leader of her team was a brilliant fighter - even Weiss could no longer deny that - but she had no foresight.

"But Ozpin said we need to evacuate," Blake replied calmly as she got off her bed, the calm girl a voice of reason.

"You heard what Pyrrha said!" Ruby shot back, "Nihilus still has Jaune! We need to save him!"

Weiss had heard enough. She had agreed to give Ruby a chance, not commit suicide via murderous lunatic. "But first we should save ourselves Ruby," such a child, "Saving anyone else can come after that."

Yang forced her way into the conversation. "Is that the right thing to do though? We're meant to be huntresses after all."

"Exactly!" Ruby practically shouted, "We need to help Jaune! I'm sure JNPR will stick around too!"

"What?" Weiss scoffed, "So we can all die together? Remember what happened in Forever Fall Ruby, we'd only get in the way of whatever Ozpin has planned."

"But we can't just leave him!" Ruby protested, "Pyrrha said that Nihilus has already done terrible things to Jaune, we can't leave Jaune with him!"

Ruby wasn't listening, that much was clear to Weiss now. Ruby only cared about doing what she believed to be right - not what was logical.

"Well," Yang chimed in, "if you're staying, then I am too!"

"I suppose I will too then…"

Weiss turned to Blake, surprised. "Really, Blake? I thought you and I were the voices of reason on the team!"

Blake smiled grimly, "I won't run away, not when my team stays behind."

"It's okay Weiss," Ruby smiled a touch sadly, "if you want to leave, we won't stop you."

They were all children. But… Weiss didn't like the idea of leaving without them. "All or nothing, I suppose." The heiress straightened her already excellent posture, "I will stay, if only to ensure you don't all get yourselves killed."

Ruby cheered.

Weiss couldn't help but think this was all going to go horribly wrong.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

Nihilus set down on the cobbled path, a deep breath of air drawing into his stolen lungs. Gently, ever so gently, he set down the form of his sleeping daughter, her new body resting against a nearby fountain.

Dear sweet _Jaune_ took hold of Violet and guided her away, took her to a safe distance.

Beacon was empty - EMPTY - of all except the one that now stood before him. And… seven other souls. The younger RWBY, a pink soul and a blue soul he vaguely remembered eating at one point, and the _faker_.

"Hello, Jaune."

Ruby, Ruby, Ruby… her soul was so very broken now, so seeped in despair and anguish that she was practically a walking corpse at this point. What had driven her to this, hmm? The death of her team? WEAK EXCUSE! Nihilus remembered his own team, Nihilus remembered the good times he had with them… Nihilus also remembered the day he killed them - the day he became the Lord of Hunger.

He still kept their souls, as deeply buried as they were at this point.

"Hello, Ruby." Ironwood was in Vale - they were all in Vale! That was irritating, but not unexpected - they had to have known he was coming. So why didn't Ruby and her younger team flee with the other Lords? "You sent them away!"

It had to be her, her idea, her plan!

"I did."

Hate, hate, hate… the hatred was never ending, never faltering. Hatred was all Nihilus was anymore. Hate for Ruby, hate for the world, hate for Atlas, hate for _IRONWOOD_.

But something was wrong, wrong! Why was Ruby here? And why was RWBY here? They thought they were hidden! They thought they could go unseen by Nihilus' gaze, how arrogant. The barest glance at their young souls told him they were… waiting? Wanting to protect something, someone…? Ah… they were here for Jaune. How _dull_.

But Ruby… her soul was just a bundle of shards. Her _weakness_ had finally caught up with her apparently. She _wanted_ to die. She would never do it herself, but she _longed_ for it, for the hellish eternity that Nihilus himself was lost to.

"You will fight me?" Nihilus asked in place of his thoughts, "You want to seek your justice?"

Ruby nodded, the metallic sound of her armour clear as day to Nihilus' ears.

"One last battle," she whispered, the harsh synthesized wheeze of her armour making her sound completely alien to the Ruby he once knew. "I killed them, Jaune. I killed Pyrrha and your daughter."

Anger frothed and bubbled in Nihilus' broken spirit, but it wasn't directed at her. "You were a puppet, the Lord of Pain is responsible for their deaths!"

"Violet…" Ruby whispered, "I killed a four-year-old girl and her mother just to get to you…"

IRONWOOD. Ironwood was responsible! He orchestrated it, he was behind it all. But Violet… Violet…

"I want you to fight me," Ruby continued in his silence. "Fight me the way you killed Ozpin. No Semblances, no Dust, no Maiden powers… just your weapon and my weapon."

Hatred and disgust welled up within Nihilus, but once again it wasn't directed at Ruby. The weapon, _the weapon_. His greatest treasure, his greatest failure… the thorn that cut into his blackened and rotted heart during every waking moment. The sign of his absolute guilt and failure to protect those that mattered the most to him.

Nihilus pulled inwards, his poisonous semblance withdrawing back into his soul. He felt the eyes that were not his own shift and change until they were back to the cursed colour of the original owner, the caged power within baying at him to be released again.

But he would not, for Nihilus had mastered his semblance years ago.

"Very well, Ruby." Nihilus extended his hand outwards, his will reaching into the folds of reality where he kept his chains and his weapon. "You and I will do battle, just as the Lord of Sorrow did before you."

Nihilus felt the cursed handle of the weapon slide into his hand, "Come to me… _Guilty Thorn_."

He drew the blade free with a flourish of red and gold unseen to his eyes. The weapon of Pyrrha Nikos, _his_ Pyrrha Nikos.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

"Come to me… _Guilty Thorn._ "

Ruby stared at the sword as her old friend drew it. The blade looked just as she remembered it, a golden edge with rich red paint adorning the inner metal. This was the blade that had once been Miló, but now it was… something else. Jaune, Nihilus, had twisted it to suit his image of the world.

Miló had been something that shone with glory, a beacon of hope for any who saw it, a symbol of a huntress.

Guilty Thorn was dark and the blade seemed to absorb light, a wretched thing of hatred, the tool of a murderer.

But Guilty Thorn was worse than that, far worse. Ruby had seen first hand what the blade had done to Ozpin. That sword was everything a hunter stood against. Jaune had done something to it, maybe something cruel, or maybe something justified. That sword sheared through aura as though it wasn't there, and the wounds it left festered and blackened from the sheer hatred Nihilus had shifted it into.

So all it took was the slightest cut, a little knick, and an immortal wound was made. Something that would _never_ heal.

"Thank you, Jaune." He was Jaune. He may not remember, he may not acknowledge it. But he was _Jaune._

With a hiss of pressurised air, Ruby removed her helmet, her pale face being granted the sunlight once again. Was this what he had felt? Jaune had spent years locked away, never seeing the sun, never feeling the wind on his skin… was this how he felt when he had stepped outside for the first time? Ah… no, it was worse than that. Jaune's first taste of freedom in years, and he had walked into a blizzard.

Maybe he hadn't ever walked out…

The pale and twisted man she saw before her was Jaune Arc, but he was so much less than he had been.

"Are you ready to die, Ruby?" his grin was feral, unhinged, "Ready to join the others and face oblivion?"

Ruby drew Crescent Rose and held it out in scythe form before her, "When I was young, I believed heroes never died."

"How arrogant."

Nihilus charged her with unbelievable speed, so fast that Ruby used her semblance just so she could react.

Guilty Thorn screamed across the metal of Crescent Rose, Nihilus' charge taking him a few steps past and behind her.

Ruby didn't have time to react further though, as not a moment later he struck again, the defiled sword lashing out for the back of Ruby's neck.

Conserving aura in a fight like this was pointless, so Ruby made full use of her semblance. The blow was battered upwards fast enough that the force bled away-

Nihilus' free hand slammed into Ruby's face, the unbelievable force punting Ruby to the ground.

The shock was jarring for Ruby, the power behind the blow immense. But she knew better than to just sit there. Ruby was moving the moment she hit the ground, a brief flash of pain marring her left eyebrow before she managed get to her feet and face her opponent again.

Blood dripped down her face.

Nihilus smirked and flicked the blood off Guilty Thorn, the sting on Ruby's brow intense.

A wound that would never heal.

"You know what this sword does?"

Ruby did. Immortal injuries… it wouldn't scar - no, it would just keep bleeding. No scab, no healing, and no aura would ever change that. The wound went beyond physical - the blade cut the soul. The body was just a convenient route for the sword to take.

"Where did you learn to use a sword?" Ruby asked instead. That was something that had bugged her since he murdered Ozpin. Jaune hadn't used a sword at Beacon. Though Pyrrha may have taught him...

Nihilus swung the blade in lazy arcs, "I never did, but Cinder and Amber knew how. Their knowledge is my knowledge."

Amber was the fall Maiden, so that almost made sense. But Cinder? Who was that meant to be? Someone else he had absorbed? Or… or maybe Cinder was the one that had originally attacked Amber? That was one mystery that had never been solved. And that would mean that Cinder was the one that broke him out of prison.

They'd never been able to identify those ashes.

But now she knew. For all the good it did her…

Ruby didn't wait any longer, she had to end this fight. With Semblance-enhanced speed she leapt in for a horizontal slash, aiming to split her old friend in two.

Nihilus raised his sword and blocked.

Ruby's attack stopped dead, her strength utterly eclipsed by what Jaune had become.

But there was little time to react further; Nihilus' arm lashed out and punched her solidly in the gut, Ruby only barely managing to let the blow take her backwards without knocking her over.

Staggered and off balance, Ruby struggled to block the following two strikes, the initial upwards slash almost taking her off her feet before the following downwards slash very nearly caught the top of her head - and it would have were it not for her hasty deflection.

Nihilus lashed out again with his tainted sword, but this time Ruby caught it on the join between the shaft and blade of her scythe. "Damn it, Jaune," she hissed as she struggled against his strength, "remember that promise we made? We were going to be heroes together!"

"You are an optimistic fool," Nihilus hissed, incredible strength pressing down on her. "You have no idea how wrong you are!"

"Explain it to me, then!"

Before now, Ruby had never cared for why Jaune fell, but now she wanted to know - now she _needed_ to know.

Nihilus frowned viciously.

The pressure on Crescent Rose vanished abruptly and Ruby found herself being thrown backwards.

But something was wrong. The world around her shifted and changed, the image of Beacon vanishing as pure white snow materialised. She suddenly found herself on a icy hill, the light snowfall doing nothing to diminish the horror of what Ruby was seeing.

Mountains of bodies. Some bloodied, others ashen, but all dead. The snow did nothing to take away from the horror she was witness to.

The image snapped, and suddenly Ruby was at Beacon once again, Nihilus standing opposite her.

"Feeling ill?" Nihilus demanded, "I'd guess you're about to vomit."

Ruby shook. What the hell had she just seen?

"You saw it, didn't you?" Nihilus glowed slightly, a deeply green aura beginning to surround him. "That's what being a hero means. That is the hell I live in. The semblance of some girl allows me to show you the world I ended up in - see it again for yourself!"

The world shifted again, the horrifying image of the mountains of corpses blurring back into view, this time the image of Nihilus following suit. It was just an illusion, Ruby knew that, but it didn't change the deeply unsettling feeling.

It even _felt_ cold. The icy sensation of the snow prickling against her face as Ruby stood opposite her opponent. The sheer despair that this hell radiated was unbelievable, so incomprehensible in nature that Ruby could only stand rooted to the spot, lest it wash her away.

"A fool who knows his dreams are unattainable, but comes anyway. A fraud without a will of her own, who has wasted her life on a ridiculous ideal." Nihilus sneered at her, "That is who we truly were, Ruby. Who you _still_ are."

Ruby raised Crescent Rose.

"Saving people just because _you_ want to is selfish." Guilty Thorn glistened from the snow, "You and I are defects of humanity, we never should have existed in the first place! There is no point in a life like yours!"

Ruby couldn't help but feel tears prickling at her eyes.

"You should know now that I am your ideal, just as you should know that your dream of saving everyone will _never_ come true."

The shout Ruby gave was equally one of despair as it was of anger, Crescent Rose jerking as a round was fired.

Nihilus battered the bullet away with ease.

"Now tell me," Nihilus leaned in closer, utterly uncaring as he moved into range for Ruby to slash his face, "knowing what you know, and having lived through what you have, do you still want to be a hero?"

Ruby flicked her head to the side, a small smattering of blood flicking off from her wound. "Now? No. But when I was young, I had to become one no matter the consequences."

Nihilus scoffed, "I remember being the SAME! It was the only thing I'd ever been passionate about, even though I knew that I didn't have the heart to do what I needed to do as a hero."

Nihilus lashed out with the tainted sword, the downwards blow barely blocked in time by Crescent Rose. They held the lock, Nihilus' strength against Ruby's. "But you?" he sneered, towering over her, "You are worse than that. I see it in your soul. Being a hero and helping people was never _your_ dream. It was the dream of another, someone you adored."

Ruby grunted and tried to push against him.

"You saw how _happy_ they were. You began to think you could have that happiness yourself. It is not _your_ dream to help people, you're just as selfish as I am!"

"No!" Summer Rose… it couldn't be true. Ruby wasn't just copying her mother…

"Your ideals are second hand! Ideals that this… person _failed_ to live up to! You're doing this because you're selfish, because you like to believe you're right!"

Ruby felt the tears escape her, the water leaving freezing trails of moisture on her face. "You're wrong…"

Nihilus leaned in further, "Hero? Don't make me laugh. Just because the idea consumes you, it doesn't mean being a hero was what you truly wanted. It's nothing but a borrowed dream!"

Ruby's strength faltered, and all in the space of a second Nihilus grabbed the shaft of Crescent Rose with his free hand and slashed deeply into her leg with his tainted sword.

Ruby screamed as she tumbled backwards to the ground, Nihilus releasing his hold on her weapon. The pain was immense, deep and unyielding. The blade had sliced through the folds of her armour, narrowly missing the metal plating.

Ruby screamed again as she tried to drag herself backwards, Nihilus casually keeping pace with her, cursed sword swinging idly with blood dripping from the blade.

"You're nothing but a faker!" he shouted with a downwards swing of Guilty Thorn.

Ruby battered the blow away gracelessly as she roughly forced herself to her feet despite the pain.

Nihilus slashed again, "You're driven by a ridiculous obsession of sacrificing yourself for the sake of others!"

Ruby held her weapon out to block, but her strength failed. Guilty Thorn slammed into Crescent Rose and kept moving forwards, dragging the scythe with it as the tainted sword bit deeply into Ruby's right side.

Ruby opened her mouth to scream in agony, but only blood escaped, the gorgeous red smearing out of her side and pooling into her lung.

Nihilus twisted the blade in her, "And look!" he sneered, "This is the result!"

Ruby gagged and spat blood, Crescent Rose clattering to the seemingly snowy ground as the last vestiges of strength left her. Guilty Thorn was the only thing holding her up now, the wretched blade cutting deeper as her weight settled on it.

Nihilus leaned in closely, "You could never be a saviour, you never had anything to save!"

"A-are you talking about me, or y-you?" Ruby asked wetly, lifeblood ebbing away.

Nihilus stilled, his face shifting to a hateful expression. "I became the embodiment of justice," the sword jerked as Nihilus kicked her off and to the ground, "and justice can be cruel!"

Ruby lay there, the illusion around them fading until it looked like they were in Beacon once again. The sun was shining… good, she didn't want to die on a rainy day…

Nihilus leaned over her, "Has it dawned on you yet? That a world where everyone is happy is just a _fairy tale_."

Ruby smiled a bloody smile. The immense pain she was feeling was brutal, but transient. It was all fading away...

Nihilus slammed Guilty Thorn downwards, the rotting metal piercing through Ruby's heart and chest. "And if you can't live without that dream, then let it drag you down and drown you!"

Ruby smiled as blackness shrouded her vision… maybe… maybe she could see Pyrrha on the other side, and apologise…

Yeah… that would be nice…

Everything stilled, and Ruby Rose died.

* * *

3

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Big chapter is big. Yay.**

 **I've had a really shit week, what with having found out a good friend of mine only has about two years to live. So I feel I can be forgiven for not doing a long authors note.**

 **Reviews:**

 **DeWatermelonGod:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Thank you, I try.**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **See the joke I put in for you? Someone** _ **did**_ **get him a samwhich.**

 **Tobi14:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Nihilus has done some pretty messed up things, this was perhaps one of the crueler ones. Jaune saved thousands of lives by delaying Nihilus, but it was just that - delaying. The Lord of Hunger will get his due, one way or another. The relationship between Ozpin and Nihilus is an odd one, it has gone through many changes and shifts, but it will end in a way that may surprise you.**

 **What inspires me to write isn't a 'dark' Jaune, quite the opposite actually. What is good? What is evil? Both are concepts relative to the individual - people don't do 'evil' things because they want to further the cause of 'evil'. If you considered 'evil' to be positive, would that not make it 'good'? Thus meaning that you can only further 'good'. The point I'm trying to make is that everyone is the hero of their own story, Nihilus feels his actions are perfectly justified retribution for the crap he went through - in his situation I would have done the same.**

 **Good and evil are just words, life is about the individual. Preconceptions of what is right and wrong are only relevant so long as you wish to conform to what is expected of you.**

 **Oh yeah, and Cinder is totally like a Sith - gold eyes and all.**

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading, and remember to leave a review!**


	30. Ascension to Lordship

Wraith

Chapter Thirty

Beta: Smithrooks

Ascension to Lordship

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

Pyrrha stared at the television in RWBY's dorm with her eyes wide in horror. She and RWBY had opted to stay at Beacon and watch the fights from the TV, but… but this was…

"MORE! MORE! MORE!"

Her friend was screaming. Jaune Arc was wailing in apparent agony as he writhed around on the ground, his maimed face contorted into a sickening expression that would haunt her nightmares forever.

The two men that had rushed to Jaune the moment he started screaming collapsed on either side of Jaune, the video camera clearly showing that their bodies had become ashen and very, very dead.

"UNCLE QROW!" Ruby screamed in anguish, her face completely distraught.

"DAD!" Yang cried alongside her sister, face just as pained.

The two men, one blonde with blue eyes, the other with greying hair and red eyes… they were dead. Their corpses were freely displayed for all to see over international television.

This couldn't be happening, this _can't_ be happening. You couldn't kill people just by touching them - that just didn't work.

" _HUNGRY!"_

Pyrrha could only stare in horror. Jaune wouldn't do this, he _couldn't_ have done this. He wasn't a murderer, he wasn't a bad person. Jaune was apathetic at times, but he still cared for everyone. He wouldn't have just… he couldn't have just…

" _HUNGRY! MORE! I NEED MORE!"_

With a deeply sickening feeling of dread and horror clawing at her gut, Pyrrha watched as the crowds began to flee the arena, but… but it was wrong. People were collapsing, some just dissolving completely to dust as they tried to flee.

" **Warning! Threat level nine detected!"**

Why… why hadn't they shut down the broadcast? Pyrrha jerked on the spot. She needed to get up there, she needed to see what on Remnant was going on.

* * *

 **Amity Colosseum, many years ago…**

 _MORE._

It was like an ache, a terrible pain on a level Jaune was barely able to comprehend.

The corpses dropped to the ground on either side of him. It felt so _good_ for just a few moments, just a second of sheer _bliss_ on a level that Jaune had never before experienced.

 _MORE. HUNGRY.  
_

Out, out, OUT! Jaune wanted MORE!

It hurt, the absence of the bliss. Like having part of him missing on a deep level. Jaune couldn't stand it. He wanted, _needed_ more.

"MORE, MORE, MORE!"

It was like the floodgates opened, sensation washing over him in a deep and unforgettable way he would never be able to describe. It was all he wanted, all he needed. Power flowed through Jaune in a manner that totally eclipsed anything he had ever really felt before.

People were… screaming? Jaune couldn't tell. He didn't feel sick anymore, but his head was pounding with such terrible pain that Jaune couldn't focus. It hurt, it hurt…

"HUNGRY!"

Strength that was not his own was powering him at this point. Too much too fast, Jaune felt like he was going to explode - but even then, he still wanted _more_. He needed _more_.

There wasn't enough. Thousands of tempting lights oozed around the stadium, all screaming, _begging_ , for him to reach out.

" **Warning! Threat level nine detected!"**

The words meant nothing to Jaune. He was so hungry, he needed more. He felt the trickle of the bliss, but it was so far away, like it was coming across a great distance. He needed to touch it again, to grasp onto it with both hands!

"HUNGRY! MORE! I NEED MORE!"

Was that Cardin above him? It didn't matter, Jaune needed to touch the aura. Why was it fading? Cardin was his friend, he didn't want him to be hurt.

Blind hands reached out to stop whatever was draining away Cardin's aura, Jaune had to stop it! It… it was hurting.

 _Bliss, bliss, bliss, bliss._

Pleasure on a level beyond the physical slithered through Jaune's soul, the purest ecstasy blinding him as his mind felt utter ascension.

Gods it was good, like a drug fix. It was addictive, so very soothing.

Then it stopped.

The change was jarring. Going from heaven to hell, the feeling of absolute bliss replaced with the harsh absence and utter _lack._

"Cardin?" Jaune whispered. Where… where had his friend gone? Why did he hear screaming? No, no, he didn't hear screaming, he _felt_ screaming. It was coming from inside him. Deep, deep…

 _HUNGRY!_

Jaune wailed, absolute torment overtaking him. He- he needed more. Whatever that feeling was, he needed more.

He had to reach, reach out and feel it… the aura. It was just there. He needed it. But it hurt. God how it hurt him. The absolute pounding in his head that went beyond suffering on a physical level, it was like he was missing a part of himself.

Jaune gripped the sides of his head, the agony welling up to a crescendo.

 _MORE._

 _HUNGRY._

 _FEED._

Jaune reached out, his aura expanding until it covered the entire stadium.

Jaune fed.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

Jaune stared at the grisly sight before him, the _tainted_ sword making a sickeningly wet sound as Nihilus pulled it out of the corpse of the older Ruby Rose. That sword was _wrong_ to look at. The metal of the blade didn't shine in the sun, the blood didn't glisten, all light just _faded_ upon reaching the blade.

It was a tool of hatred, that much was very clear. Jaune could feel the _rage_ within the weapon, though he wasn't sure quite how that worked - but the feeling was there nonetheless. He wasn't sure how he knew, but that sword was a beast of its own. A thing with its own will, the will to see all things _die_.

There was a whimper from next to him.

Jaune nealt by the fading form of what used to be Weiss Schnee, but was currently Violet Arc. Something was wrong with her - worse than before. In her waking moments at Atlas she had screamed her agony, but now she was worse off. Formerly porcelain white skin rotted and gnarled, a deathly shroud descending upon the stolen body with a haste that Jaune couldn't quite grasp.

"Psst!" And they were here… Team RWBY and his own team weren't nearly as subtle as they thought they were. Or maybe Jaune was more perceptive thanks to the rings; he had felt them edge closer the moment Nihilus and the other Ruby had begun their battle. "Jaune! Quickly, come with us!"

Little Ruby was a dear, but she lacked perspective. Jaune was the only thing stopping Nihilus - he _couldn't_ leave. Not yet. "Ruby, _run_ _away!_ "

She tried to protest, "But we-!"

"You would do well to obey him!" Nihilus descended upon the withering form of his stolen daughter like a shadow, mild distress clear on his face, "Leave and live, or stay and die - I care not which!"

Jaune watched as Ruby's eyes widened. They needed to leave. Jaune's death may have changed him, but he still cared about his friends - even if he'd only known them briefly. "Do as he says, Ruby!" Jaune commanded, making sure his voice was loud enough that the rest of RWBY plus NPR could hear him from their hiding spot. "Go! Now!"

"But I-"

Jaune didn't wait, he couldn't. He clicked his fingers, a flood of utter fury threatening to overwhelm his ailing soul. But he wouldn't let it! He was in control!

A small explosion tore at the ground at Ruby's feet. Not enough to actually hurt her in any way, but enough to force her backwards.

Jaune pretended he didn't see the betrayed look in Ruby's eyes.

"Violet," Nihilus whispered from behind him, "Violet, I'm sorry…"

Jaune watched as Ruby stepped away, the impression of betrayal and hurt lingering even as she and the others receded from his awareness. This was for the best… this had to be. If they stayed they would have died, and while Jaune already knew he could never forgive himself for the things he had done, if he allowed them to die he would have no other recourse but to… end it.

It was only the right thing to do…

"I've failed…" Jaune turned back to Nihilus, his eyes settling onto the lord for only a moment before flickering to what used to be Weiss Schnee.

It was getting worse. Thin trails of blood seeped from her eyes, ears, mouth and nose. She was still breathing, still _existing_ , but she looked like just the slightest breeze would kill her.

"Nihilus," Jaune asked lowly as he knelt beside the robed man, only dully noting that the tainted sword from before had vanished, "what's happening to her?"

Keep him distracted. Keep him away from cities. Otherwise _everyone_ would lose in the end.

"I've seen this before," Nihilus cried, _actually_ cried, "her soul is too small to sustain the body. Too small to exist individually…"

Jaune wouldn't lie and say he understood that completely, but he got the general gist of it. The purple light he'd seen Nihilus force into the body was hardly even a pinprick, it almost didn't exist at all with how _tiny_ it was. "Is there anything you can do?" Jaune asked softly.

Nihilus reached forth with his right hand, his ghostly white fingertips just brushing over her brow. "A different host, maybe." Nihilus' eyes flashed yellow, and in a single instant the stolen body of Weiss Schnee crumpled to ash, the grey pile bearing no resemblance to what she had been a moment ago.

In his hand, the faint stab of purple light hovered unwaveringly. That was Violet - the real Violet. Not the stolen body she'd had moments before, but the stab of soul light that used to belong to a little girl. This was what she had become… So much less now.

Nihilus' gaze snapped to Jaune with startling intensity, sickly yellow eyes boring dangerous holes into the younger Arc. "But you…" Nihilus leaned closer to Jaune, "you're different than I am. You lack the _knowledge_ , but you are different. I can _fix_ that."

Jaune leant back. "What are you talking about?" He didn't like the sound of this 'fix' Nihilus mentioned. Last time Nihilus rooted about in Jaune's soul, he had been revived from the dead into a life he half didn't want anymore.

Nihilus' hand lashed out with a speed Jaune could barely follow, his pale fingers connecting with Jaune's chest for the barest second before everything changed.

The world around Jaune shifted and snapped, the dizzying sensation of motion without actually moving extremely unsettling to his already frayed nerves.

Everything was black, there was absolutely _nothing_ anywhere. Jaune tried to move, but he had no form in which to do so. He merely existed, nothing less, and nothing more.

He could practically _feel_ as something gazed at him. A stare that originated from nowhere and ended somewhere. The profoundly unsettling sensation of someone unseen to Jaune taking him for all that he was, looking at every single speck of Jaune's existence.

The unseen eyes considered Jaune, an idle hum seeming to permeate the sheer nothingness around them.

The world snapped again, Jaune jerking in place as he suddenly found he had a body once more.

Jaune opened his eyes, the idle waters of a lazy beach greeting his sight. It was raining, but the colourful specks of light that drifted downwards never seemed to reach the ground. "Where am I?" Jaune asked aloud, his voice barely audible over the gentle lapping of the waves.

It was dark too, the only source of illumination being the tiny lights that fell around him, so varied in their colour and form...

"I knew you would come, Jaune."

Jaune spun around, his eyes widening as they settled onto the faintly smiling form of Pyrrha. An _older_ Pyrrha. She looked to be in her late twenties, still as gorgeous as her younger self - but a more mature sort of beauty.

"I had faith that you would be the one to reach this place, Jaune." She smiled at him, the glittering shards of not-rain making her look radiant.

"Pyrrha?" Jaune asked. Was this the Pyrrha that had been speaking to him? The Pyrrha of Nihilus' world?

"This is where your wishes will be granted," Pyrrha's red hair fluttered in a wind that didn't exist, "we are inside the deepest reaches of Nihilus' soul."

Wait, what? That wasn't right… why would she call him Nihilus?

Pyrrha's green eyes drifted upwards, gesturing to something in the sky.

Jaune looked up, his mind shuddering to a stop a moment later. A massive black… orb. Riddled with cracks that the other little lights escaped from, an incredibly faint whitish haze just barely covering the sheer blackness of the orb itself.

"That is all the power and knowledge Nihilus holds within him." Pyrrha grinned with pure euphoria.

 _Something is wrong with her_.

"It has taken form in Nihilus, but you too can wield the strength to shatter worlds." Pyrrha's emerald gaze settled back onto him, "All you need to is offer it your prayer, only then will you truly become the invincible hunter you always dreamed of being. Now please, Jaune, hurry and accept the power I offer you!"

 _This isn't Pyrrha_. The realisation was like a bucket of ice water being dumped over his head. Pyrrha wasn't like Nihilus or Jaune, she didn't seek power for its own sake - and she didn't understand those who did. She wouldn't be doing this.

Jaune rubbed his fingers together. "Who are you? Really?"

Pyrrha bowed her head, "I am Pyrrha Arc, as you see."

Jaune raised his hand, fingers poised and ready to click at a moment's notice - he could wipe her away. "Answer me!"

She couldn't be Pyrrha. But if this wasn't Pyrrha, then who had been speaking to him earlier? This one, or another?

Pyrrha sighed, her eyes taking on an odd mixture of elated and sorrowful at the same time. "It is true, I will not deny that this is no more than a mask. However, the personality of Pyrrha Arc that was recorded and recreated for this purpose is undeniably not Nihilus."

Jaune kept his ready position, ever wary of a possible attack. This… _not_ Pyrrha had just acknowledged that she had attempted to lie to him. Who knows what she could do next? "Are you the will of Nihilus? Something he created to serve him?"

Pyrrha blinked, her emerald eyes changing once they opened again. The left eye was a deep ocean blue, the right a warm brown. "I am. That interpretation of me is not incorrect. I, however, have my own will, and my own desires. I am the one you have been speaking to, but Nihilus has taken control once again."

"No way." Jaune didn't dare do anything. This wasn't Pyrrha, but it was close enough. She knew Nihilus, what he was and what he used to be. But she had also admitted that she was no longer in control. "If that is the case, then why isn't Nihilus himself speaking to me? What is he playing at, offering me all his power?"

Pyrrha smiled, her hand reaching out to cup Jaune's cheek lovingly. "Well, Jaune," her mismatched eyes looked so sad, so pained, "that is something that you should know far better than anyone else could possibly know."

Jaune didn't push her away, too captivated by her loving caress. "What?" he asked softly.

Pyrrha's hand settled onto his chest, her gaze still adoring, "You learned how to save the world the moment you met Nihilus. So I will do exactly as you have done - I will grant you the power to carry out your wishes, and ultimately answer your prayer."

What was she talking about? Prayer? Save the world? "What are you talking about?" His voice was soft now, agitation diminished by the affection she was showing.

Pyrrha stepped back, her warm hands leaving him and the cold setting in a moment later. A quiet sigh escaped her mouth. "I have no choice. The only way to make you realise is to have you go and explore that same question through your inner self."

Jaune blinked, his mouth opening to speak again. But as he opened his eyes, everything changed. The scene of the beach with the faintly glittering lights had vanished in favour of the new location.

Jaune looked around, his eyes adjusting to the greater lighting quickly. Dull carpeting, four beds, small television. This was… his dorm room in Beacon? No, no… not his. It was slightly different. Blank grey posters of _nothing_ on each wall, all the colours of everything dull and lifeless. The beds were at a slightly different angle than what JNPR had when Jaune briefly resided there. It was similar, very similar, but also different.

This was… Nihilus' dorm when he was in Beacon? Nihilus was blind, so that would explain the lack of colour, and he had probably been placed on a different team - so that would explain why it was a different room. It was empty though. Jaune could _feel_ that there was a second presence, but it was still empty. "This is-"

Jaune's words were cut off, the small TV blinking on. The colour was stark and different compared to the lack of colour in the rest of the room. On the screen, two massive white boats powered through blue waters.

" _Three hundred on one ship."_ The voice was sudden, jarring. It wasn't Pyrrha, nor was it Nihilus. Too low, too calm. It sounded just like Jaune-

Jaune. It was _his_ voice.

" _Two hundred are on the other."_

"What the…?" Jaune wasn't sure what on Remnant was going on. Ships? Numbers?

" _Five hundred total passengers and crew, plus Jaune Arc. Let's assume these five hundred people are humanity's last survivors. Giant holes simultaneously open up in both ships, crippling them. Jaune Arc alone has the skills needed to repair a ship. Now then, which one of the ships would you fix?"_

The image of the two boats froze just at the right angle for Jaune to see two gaping holes.

That… was a shitty choice either way. They should _all_ survive. But Jaune knew well enough that the world didn't work that way. Nihilus had taught him that. "That's simple," Jaune sighed, "the one holding three hundred people."

" _As soon as you make that decision, the two hundred passengers on the other ship kidnap you and take you prisoner. They demand that you fix their ship first. What will you do?"_

"I would…" It was taunting him. That wasn't fair, how was he supposed to deal with that? Diplomacy wasn't an option, obviously, and with the knowledge and strength imparted from the rings Jaune only knew one course of action that would be successful. It was terrible, but it was the only thing that-

There was a scream, a terrible pained howl followed by silence. Jaune rushed over to the window so he could see what was going on, ringed fingers shoving the curtains aside in his haste to see-

Jaune blinked and found himself somewhere else again, but this time he felt sick. He was on the boat… of course he was. Charred and ashen bodies littered the deck around him, some bleeding, most cauterized by extreme heat, but all dead. Dozens of them. Men, women and children - all dead, all burnt.

" _You would kill all two hundred passengers."_ The voice was all around him now _, "That is correct. That is the Jaune Arc that we know."_

Jaune blinked again, the boat and its legion of corpses vanishing. He was back in the room again. The people… that wasn't fair. That was the only solution Jaune _knew_ would work. It was the only solution he was certain about. It was terrible, utterly disgusting. But he'd killed more people when he'd first gotten the fire Dust ring. And if it was necessary...

" _Next, the surviving three hundred abandon their damaged craft. They split themselves between two new ships and continue their journey. This time there are two hundred on one and one hundred on the other. But again holes open in the hulls of both ships at exactly the same time."_

"Wait…" Why was this happening? Jaune wanted, no, _needed_ to speak to the not-Pyrrha again.

" _The hundred in the smaller ship take you prisoner, and like the others demand that you fix their ship first. Now what will you do?"_

That… why was it asking that?! "You already know!" Jaune hissed, a deep feeling of utter shame welling in his gut, "But you-!"

Jaune blinked, the world changing around him again. This time Jaune recognised it immediately. This was a place he would never forget. How could he? It was a nightmare in reality for him - the Beacon of Nihilus' world. The main tower of the school gone, the charred ashes of hundreds of soldiers scattering the ruined courtyard. This was where Jaune had murdered all those people… he felt sick just looking at it all.

" _Yes. You made the right decision."_

Anger flared into Jaune in an instant upon hearing the voice. How dare it say that? That wretched scenario it presented was… wrong! "No!" Jaune barked in the empty and dead space around him. "That's impossible! How can that be that right decision?! Two hundred survived, but three hundred died so they could live - the scales are tipped the wrong way!"

" _No. Your calculations were correct. Is this not what you wanted? To be a hero? If it saved lives, the lives of the saved must be worth more than those you destroyed."_

Jaune opened his mouth, but his voice died as he found himself back at the beach, the not-Pyrrha staring back at him with her blue and brown eye and a loving smile.

Anger erupted like a volcano. "This!?" Jaune demanded of her, "This is what you wanted to show me!?" _  
_

She didn't speak, only smiling and looking on kindly.

" _Yes. This is your truth, the answer that lies within Jaune Arc. The man that will accept all the power we have to offer."_

Anger shifted to panic; he wouldn't accept anything it had to offer him! "No! No!" he shouted, "This is not what I want! I wanted to be a hero, the strongest hunter in the world - so there would be another way!"

" _You already know the path to strength, the method the greatest hunters used in order to gain their power."_

"Like hell! How is that fair?!" Jaune hissed.

" _But it is. The goal you have tried to hard to accomplish and failed to do on your own is now open to you beyond the scale of any hunter before now, your will can make it fair."  
_

Jaune opened his mouth, but the world shifted around him. Gone was the beach, instead Jaune was… home? The house he grew up in back in Dorme, the house that was now little more than a pile of cinders thanks to Nihilus and the alternate version of Yang. Seeing it cooled his temper slightly, the nostalgia was nice…

Jaune blinked, his head jerking back in surprise when there was suddenly… his father standing before him. John Arc, scary man sometimes. "Dad?" Jaune asked quietly.

His fingers moved with power other than his own, something else guiding them. A single click, an eruption of fire Dust, and John Arc was enveloped in the flames; his charred black remains dropped to the ground a moment later.

Jaune staggered back in horror. He didn't- that wasn't him! i

There was a noise behind him.

Jaune whirled around in horror. His eyes widened as they settled on the woman who had snuck up on him.

Jane Arc. Loving mother, beautiful woman, kind to a fault, dead.

Dead for about ten years. Died the same way all of Dad's teammates had. Grimm.

"Mum?" Jaune half asked, half begged.

His fingers clicked again.

Her smouldering corpse dropped to the ground.

Jaune retched in disgust, his empty stomach heaving to expel something that wasn't there. He'd just… he'd killed…

The world shifted, broke and changed again.

Jaune fell to his knees as he found himself back at the other-worldly beach, Pyrrha standing there with her expression frozen in place.

This was wrong, this was all wrong… despair welled up within Jaune's broken soul. What was the point of this? What was the point of any of this? He just wanted it to end. He wanted it all to end…

" _You truly are Jaune Arc. The one worthy and willing to bear all the suffering in the world."_

He didn't want to… he didn't even want to be a hunter anymore. Jaune just wanted to crawl into a hole and die…

" _Now, the final question."_

Two more people phased into view before Jaune. Ruby Rose, the fifteen-year-old one, stood to the left of Pyrrha, a smile on her face. She was still and unmoving, but her silver eyes watched Jaune intently.

Violet Arc, not his sister, but the daughter that he'd never had. Her gorgeous purple eyes contrasted with her fiery red hair beautifully. Like Pyrrha and Ruby she was still as a statue, but her eyes were screaming at him - a look of agony untold.

A weight settled into Jaune's right hand, only the barest glance on his part identifying the object. Guilty Thorn… the wretchedly hateful sword Nihilus had used to kill Ruby. The blade radiated hatred – just holding it made Jaune feel dirty.

But it didn't matter… nothing mattered…

 _"Three remain, will you save two? Or choose one?"_

It was vague, but Jaune knew what he was meant to do. Ruby Rose, or Pyrrha and Violet Arc? Save two or choose one… it wasn't fair…

The blade in his hand felt like it weighed a tonne.

Why was Nihilus doing this? He already knew Jaune's answer to this. The questions with the boats had made it clear enough what Jaune would do…

Jaune staggered to his feet, Guilty Thorn stagnant and furious all in the same moment. He had to… Nihilus would do something otherwise. Jaune stepped over to Ruby.

Violet's eyes were screaming at him. Begging, pleading, all of it. But he wouldn't, he _couldn't…_

"I'm sorry, Ruby," Jaune whispered brokenly, the edge of Guilty Thorn slicing through her throat. Blood sprayed over Jaune's face.

Ruby slumped to the ground without so much as a whimper.

Jaune's face was slick with Ruby's blood, his horror dying as it morphed to just… emptiness.

He felt hollow.

The world changed, the image of the beach fading away like sand in the wind.

He still felt the blood on his face.

Jaune was in a bedroom. The not-Pyrrha in a nightgown as she leant on the backboard, Violet playing around in the blankets.

He could still hear the sound of the waves…

Violet popped out of the blankets, her face split into a massive grin of simple joy. With a pleased shout the little girl jumped at Jaune, the elder Arc reflexively catching her and allowing the little girl to cling to his chest.

"Welcome home Daddy!" Her face was smiling, her words were kind, but her eyes were screaming. Utter torment, begging for something, for help… "Oh I'm so happy that you're finally back!"

She kissed his cheek, but Jaune only felt empty.

Pyrrha leaned forwards, a smile on her face and her differing eyes filled with nothing but love. "You understand now, right? This is all the power of Nihilus granting your heart's fervent desires."

She looked at him with such love, such kindness…

Violet giggled again, messy red hair bobbing as she did. "Yeah!" She kissed his cheek.

Jaune looked at them.

"All you need do now is to accept it," Pyrrha's smile was near manic with rapture, "together you  
and Nihilus can bring back your wife, take back your daughter!"

Jaune looked at them. So easy would it be… so easy to accept the power they offered. With the strength of Nihilus Jaune could right all wrongs, destroy the Grimm and save the world. There were near a million people on Remnant, and Jaune could save them all, every single one of them… Jaune could be a hero, a defender, an arbiter of justice…

But once upon a time, Jaune had wanted to be a hero. A hero. Someone that people could look up to… he wasn't, and never could be that now. Jaune was a murderer, he had taken lives, and he had forced the hopes and dreams of hundreds to just die. Jaune wasn't a hero, he could never be a hero. A hero was the untainted, the people like Ruby… but not like Jaune.

Real heroes didn't want power for the sake of power. Power was best suited to those that never sought it.

Jaune wanted the power. He wanted it so badly. Part of him screamed that he would never abuse it, that he would be fair and honourable to all.

The other part of Jaune knew this wasn't true. No one was completely unbiased, no one completely above petty wants. He would eventually abuse it.

All that power, all that might that Nihilus was offering…

If Jaune took it then he would just become a second Nihilus. Just another Lord of Hunger.

Just another monster.

Jaune cradled Violet close to him, hugging her with all the love his withered heart could muster. "I won't be able to see you anymore…" he whispered.

Purple eyes screamed at him, begging, pleading, demanding… "It's okay!" she chirped, "Don't worry about it, I'll be happy just as long as you and mother are with me from now on!"

Relief, joy, sorrow. All washed through the eyes of the puppet of Violet. Nihilus was just using her image, making her dance to his tune. But she could still hear him. "Thank you…" Jaune breathed, sorrow heavy in his voice. She was family, maybe not in the conventional way, but she was still his _daughter_. "Daddy loves you. If nothing else, I swear that's true."

He loved her, loved the daughter he had never had. And because he loved her, he had to set her free.

Jaune rubbed his fingers together, the cold feeling of utter emptiness growing stronger. "Goodbye… Violet…"

Her eyes thanked him. Her head tilted to the side, not understanding.

Jaune clicked his fingers.

There was no rage, no soul-deep anger. All Jaune felt as he killed his daughter was _emptiness._

Her ashen body thumped to the ground.

The not-Pyrrha jumped in shock, rising from the bed with a scream.

Jaune clicked his fingers again, flames enveloping the spirit in its entirety. Jaune wasn't sure whose souls Nihilus had fused in order to create the false Pyrrha, but they too were laid to rest by Jaune's hand.

A moment of silence.

"Violet! Violet! Violet! Violet! Violet! Violet!' The wraith-like form of a ghost swooped into the room, the creature hurtling towards the charred corpse of Violet.

Jaune raised his hand to snap his fingers and kill the wraith, but it slapped Jaune's hand aside. Only then did Jaune get a good look at the thing's face. "But why?! Why would you do this?!" It howled, "You killed our daughter!"

It was Jaune. But it was Nihilus.

Older, perhaps about thirty. His face was horribly scarred – three diagonal gashes shearing it in twain, glassy and very blind blue eyes staring with such visceral hatred. This was Nihilus. The real one. Not the stolen corpse he walked around in, but what he had really looked like.

It went to move again, but Jaune didn't let it. Both hands grasped at the neck of the older Jaune Arc. Fingers tightened, the emptiness in Jaune's spirit replaced with the utmost grief. Tighter, he had to hold tighter…

The real Nihilus gagged, his suffering clear, but his mounting anger clearer. "But… why?" He choked, "Why do you… refuse us? And our power?"

Jaune tightened his grip, tears welling up in his eyes as the smell of the charred bodies caught his nose. He had to, it wasn't the right thing to do, but he had to… "One million people on Remnant-"

The scarred dark Arc's face twisted hatefully, his expression monstrous as he struggled against Jaune's choking grip. _"I curse you!"_ He screamed hoarsely.

But Jaune continued as if he were never interrupted, "versus you two-"

 _"The Lord of Hunger curses you!"_

Tears ran down Jaune's face, and he could feel the bones in Nihilus' neck begin to flex, "That's why-"

 _"SUFFER-!"_

"That's why-"

 _"TIL THE DAY YOU DIE!"_

Jaune sobbed, "I have to kill you-"

" _I will-!"_

"And I will save the world." Jaune was no hero, he was just as much the villain as Nihilus was. But salvation and damnation were the same thing in this case.

 _"NEVER FORGIVE-!"_

The vertebrae in his neck finally gave way with a violent crack of bone, Nihilus' head snapping backwards as his neck was broken.

Jaune had never felt so empty before.

Slowly, the world began to dissolve around him, the warm room washing away in a twisting haze of color and broken emotions. Jaune stared at the three corpses until they too disappeared, the charred smell lingering in his nose even as his hands tingled from the murders he had just committed.

Finally, reality gave way and the inner world of Nihilus faded away in its entirety.

Jaune was back in the courtyard of Beacon, the pile of ashes that used to be Weiss Schnee still fresh on the ground. Slowly and with a deep sense of depression, Jaune looked to the still form of the robed lord beside him.

But something was wrong. Nihilus' body was crumbling even as the dark Arc stared at Jaune with a look of utter _betrayal._ The elder man just stared at Jaune, his body becoming ashen and transient even as Jaune stared back.

Moments passed, Nihilus now little more than a spectre of ash resembling something vaguely human.

 _"I will remember this…"_ wind blew, and there was nothing left of Nihilus, but even then the voice lingered. _"I will never forget, Lord of Betrayal…"_

Jaune could only cry.

The Lord of Hunger was dead.

* * *

328

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Sorry for the delay, I've had a busy day…**

 **Anyway, who expected that to happen?! Nihilus is 'dead' (technically he was anyway, so really not much has changed there…), and the two people that young Nihilus killed accidentally were actually Taiyang and Qrow (gasp). Shit is getting serious.**

 **Oh, and young Nihilus killed another 325 people as well. But, eh, minor details…**

 **Reviews:**

 **The Powder Keg:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **That's okay, I'm sorry for not being able to PM my answer.**

 **I tried hard with the fight to convey the emotional impact more than the physical, to show the profound emotions of the two as they spoke for the last time.**

 **Ah yes, Crocea Mors. The final fate of the sword isn't actually all that far off, so you will see soon enough...**

 **And thank you! I try my best to make this story the best it can be!**

 **TalonIbnLaAhad:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I wanted the fight to show the pain and regret of their former friendship, Ruby finally letting go of her ideals and Nihilus verbally pouring out years worth of hatred. I'm glad you liked it. As for why he didn't do something crueller when he killed her - pity, and perhaps some small shred of empathy. Nihilus knows that Ruby killed his daughter, but he also knows that she a victim of being lied to and being blinded by hatred - Nihilus never actually hated Ruby. He was extremely angry, but it never escalated to hatred.**

 **The issue of actually stopping Nihilus is a tricky one - something RWBY (the ones he killed anyway) likely wouldn't have ever succeeded in - Nihilus is functionally immortal, and they kept trying to kill him. At most, they may have destroyed his body eventually, but that would just piss him off enough to go nuclear. That being said, Nihilus is more fragile than one might think - but I won't spoil anything.**

 **In regards to Salem: Yes! she is indeed a character. I can't quite remember if you (or someone else) asked this earlier, but Salem has a role to play. Bear in mind, however, that Wraith is the story of Jaune Arc and until she takes an active role she won't be included (don't worry, that comes later). And for reference - Nihilus can actually 'see' Grimm, just not in a convenient way (again, later), and he is fully capable of just going Scorched Earth if things actually get serious.**

 **I loved your review, thank you for taking the time to post it!**

 **Tobi14:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Like to show an extreme end result first since it serves as a hook to draw in readers, thus allowing me to gradually show how that character became the way they are.**

 **Ruby knew she couldn't win, this was her way of saying goodbye. There was no forgiveness there, but perhaps there was acceptance.**

 **Nihilus has had an** _ **extremely**_ **rough go at life, though I won't deny that much of that is self imposed. He is insane, cruel, and terrible - but he is a product of what the world made him.**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Three complete souls, including his own. When the counter was at one that was just his soul - but the addition of the two (actual characters) that he just killed the counter is now three.**

 **Yes. Actual characters.**

* * *

 **Thanks for reading, and don't forget to review!**

 **Seriously, review. Reviews help me write - especially given that I have exams coming up and they always give me the desire to find a nice warm hole to crawl into and die. If you review I'll take my laptop with me so I can keep writing right up to the moment of my death.**


	31. Ashes of Eden

Wraith

Chapter Thirty One

Beta: Smithrooks

Ashes of Eden

 **Beacon, present day…**

Jaune wasn't sure how long he sat there. It was just him; alone in a courtyard smeared with the ashes of an alternate version of himself, and the bloody corpse of an alternate Ruby Rose.

Was this what victory felt like? It tasted hollow and bitter, there was no glory to be found in this. Was this what Nihilus had felt like? For all his power, for all his might, he was just a broken shell of a man who had failed to live up to whatever his ideals were.

Just like Jaune…

He'd killed Violet, the _actual_ Violet. Whatever fragmented shards of her soul Nihilus had kept within him were dead and gone, the sensation of brief fire and the clicking of his fingers… she was never coming back. Not _ever_.

" _Lord of Betrayal…"_

The words were just a phantom of memory past, an echo in the wind. Lord of Hunger, Lord of Pain, Lord of Sorrow… and now Lord of Betrayal - Jaune. Nihilus had only ever mentioned the three, the wraith feeling some twisted and sick pride in his own lordship, the Lord of Sorrow being something he loathed and revered, and the Lord of Pain being something he hated beyond belief.

What did that make Jaune then? The Lord of Betrayal?

Jaune killed them…

Killed them… the actual family. Violet was freed, burned away. Nihilus was defeated; maybe not gone, but his physical hold on the world was released and his spirit broken beyond measure.

That scarred and horrid figure Jaune had killed right at the very end, that wretched aberration of what Jaune himself looked like… that had been what Nihilus really was. That was what Nihilus had been before he fully discarded the mantle of being an Arc - his face shredded to ribbons and his body sickly and wasting away. That was the real Nihilus, Nihilus in his truest form - not the indomitable monster he liked to play at being.

Just a broken shell of a man…

And Jaune had ruined him further.

Jaune shivered, a weight unseen settling on his soul.

It hurt… it hurt…

Jaune didn't feel like moving, he didn't feel like doing anything. There was nothing there, but it felt like he had chains wrapped around his soul and a sword in his heart.

Chains around his soul and a sword in his heart…

It couldn't be…?

What were the words Nihilus used? What had he said? "Come to me," Jaune whispered, praying that it wouldn't work, "Guilty Thorn…"

The cursed sword shimmered into existence with a brief flash of gold light and clattered to the ground next to him.

Jaune wanted to cry. The feeling in his heart faded, but he knew it wouldn't last - the sword was too dangerous to keep, and it was too dangerous to try and palm it off to someone else. And Jaune had a horrid feeling that it would find its way back to him one way or another. As wretched and hateful as the dark blade may be, it almost felt like it had chosen Jaune, that its unyielding hatred for the world was matched by some twisted devotion.

Jaune sobbed and the sword faded away, the wretched feeling of its presence lingering in his soul. Nihilus' final 'gift' to Jaune, then. The sword, and… "Unravel," Jaune cried as he gave the command.

Unbreakable chains coiled at his feet, golden pools of light hovering above and granting Jaune absolute control.

Why would Nihilus do this? A curse? Something to punish Jaune for his actions? The chains and the sword were Nihilus' two greatest possessions, even if he absolutely loathed their existence. And to give them to Jaune…

" _The Lord of Hunger curses you!"_ The real Nihilus had screamed that at him, as Jaune was killing him… _"SUFFER UNTIL THE DAY YOU DIE!"_

It came down on Jaune like a tonne of bricks - Nihilus had granted his last cruelty. Jaune was stuck like this.

Forever.

* * *

 **Amity Colosseum, many years ago…**

Jaune pounded his fists against the tiled ground beneath him, the colosseum shuddering from the force.

Something was happening. Jaune shouldn't be that strong. He was a wet noodle compared to his friends, but now strength like he'd never known flooded his body like a narcotic and Jaune felt like he could shatter the world if he hit it hard enough. His muscles were bulging with barely restrained power, might enough to crush whatever he touched.

He felt pleasure, but it was faint compared to what he felt a moment ago. This was transient and shallow in nature, where before it had been deep and Jaune had wanted it to never end.

But something was wrong. People were screaming, and… dying? Why were so many lights winking out of existence throughout the stadium? He… he had to help them. But Jaune didn't see what was attacking, he only saw the lights of hundreds of people just ebbing out of existence. More disturbing was that their souls were vanishing too, something eating away at them the moment their bodies faltered. Had some kind of new Grimm broken onto the stadium? That was the only explanation as to why Jaune couldn't see any attackers.

Jaune shuddered as a tremor passed through his body, an overwhelming feeling beyond description flooding through his veins.

Pain spiked in Jaune's head and he lashed out, his fist pounding against the ground below him.

It shouldn't have happened, but it did. The arena sheared in two under the impossible strength Jaune held, stone and metal tearing away like they were mere tissue paper.

Jaune screamed, abhorrent agony spearing through his senses as the last of the people on board Amity either died or fled. He was alone, but suddenly everything hurt. Every noise was like a siren wailing in his ear, every touch to his skin felt like knives being driven into his nerves. It hurt, it hurt so badly…

 _HUNGRY._

Wait, no. There was still one person, someone green… green. Monstrous and fake, but still something, some _one_ Jaune was infinitely pleased to see. Penny.

"Penny?" Jaune tried to shout, but it came out more like a harsh whisper instead. She wasn't moving, there was something on top of her. "Penny?"

Her green light was jerking on the spot, pinned to the ground by something Jaune couldn't quite make out in his haze. Part of the arena perhaps? It didn't matter now, she was the only one left. He had to help her, help her and find out what was happening.

The split in the arena widened and the stadium shuddered. Amity was breaking. But he had to get to Penny, he had to save her. That was what heroes did, they saved people.

 _HUNGRY!_

Jaune staggered to his feet, each jerky step causing another tremor to tear through the already pulverised arena. Why was that happening? Jaune stepped towards the downed girl, she was saying something that he couldn't make out…

Jaune limped closer, not injured as such, but still under immense torment. He hurt, everything _hurt_.

"Penny?" he dropped to his knees beside the downed girl, Amity lurching violently again.

"Jaune!" her voice sounded like nails on glass to his tortured mind, "You must deactivate your semblance immediately."

Semblance? What was she talking about? No, no, no he had to focus. He had to get her out of the… whatever was pinning her.

"Jaune, your duties as a hunter obligate you to Vale so as to defend it from the Grimm and ensure capture of the rogue element."

 _HUNGRY!_

Rogue element? What was she talking about? Jaune was having trouble hearing, trouble understanding too. His mind was so hazy, like everything was coming across a great distance. "Don't worry," Jaune gasped as his hands fumbled around to grab her under the shoulders. He just had to pull her out… "I'll get you out, I'll save you-"

Her delicious-looking fake aura flickered in very real alarm. "No! Don't-!"

Jaune pulled.

Amity shuddered.

Jaune fell backwards, his grip on the girl not faltering as something gave way.

"Ah."

Penny seemed at a loss of what to say, though she didn't sound particularly pained - quite the impressive feat considering what Jaune had just done to her.

From the waist up, Jaune had freed Penny from whatever was pinning her… but her legs hadn't come along. He'd ripped her in half.

"T-this is awkward," Penny stuttered from Jaune's arms, "it would be best if you just left me and went to Vale!"

Penny wasn't dead.

 _HUNGRY!_

Jaune 'stared' at her for a long moment. He'd ripped her in half, and yet Penny wasn't dead. Blindly, Jaune reached down to the gaping wound and pawed the area, his mind disjointed and jumbled as his thoughts tried to catch up to what was happening.

Metal. Cold and hard metal. That actually explained things - rather than Penny being some freak born without a soul, she was just a robot that had aura. That was nice, Jaune was hungry…

Amity violently jerked to the side, the entire stadium tilting roughly. "I'm not leaving you," Jaune slurred, words blurring together through his haze, "I won't leave anyone…"

Jaune staggered to his feet, hefting the top half of Penny with him as he went. She wasn't heavy. Actually maybe she was, but Jaune couldn't feel the weight at all through the impossible strength that made his muscles bulge and swell impossibly. Hopefully all the important bits of her were in the half he had, Jaune wasn't sure what exactly was happening but he knew Amity was breaking apart - and he did _not_ want to be on board when that happened.

"Jaune, what are you doing?" The false human in his arms demanded softly as Jaune staggered towards the nearest exit.

"I'm-" _HUNGRY!_ "I'm getting us out of here."

Something was pulling, he felt the presence of the lights that he so desperately craved down below, the hundreds of thousands of souls in Vale. They looked divine, so delicious in a way that food just _wasn't_. He wanted them. He wanted them so badly.

"Jaune," The android in his arms was speaking, why was he carrying her again? No, no, no, he was saving her. That's right. Saving her. "Your eyes are yellow."

Eyes? Yellow? That didn't matter, escaping mattered. The ground shook, stone cracking and breaking with each shuddering step that Jaune took. He couldn't control his strength, every time he lugged his legs forwards he was stomping hard enough to break the ground beneath him. Jaune kicked through piles of ashes as he moved, why was there so much ash? It was everywhere, sticking in the air like a poison as Jaune moved. Piles of the stuff clung to the walls and floor; there was so much, but for the life of him Jaune couldn't think of where it could have come from.

Burnt air assaulted Jaune's lungs as he stepped into the outer edges of Amity, was something on fire? The colosseum was breaking apart, the Dust reactors that kept it in the air must be damaged in some way - maybe from the damage Jaune was causing.

Jaune's blind eyes searched desperately for some kind of vehicle for him to get off the station with, there had to be something - _anything._ There was normally a fleet of waiting air-buses to ferry people to and from the colosseum, but no matter how desperately Jaune searched there was nothing.

No way off.

Amity shuddered, the sound of a distant explosion tearing through Jaune's haze for a moment. But this time something was wrong, Jaune felt it in the way the ground quaked. They were losing altitude.

Right over the heart of Vale.

And if Amity crashed into the city, then Vale would be destroyed…

"Jaune," the broken machinery in his arms struggled mightily, but whatever strength she had was worthless compared to Jaune's might. "The station is falling. I predict a one hundred percent likelihood of it crashing into Vale if something is not done!"

Jaune staggered close to the rail overlooking the city, blind eyes wide as he stared at the delicious looking lights below. They were all people, every single one of them.

And the overwhelming majority would die the moment Amity slammed into the ground.

With impossible strength Jaune nudged the rail, the metal twisting and warping as it bent. This was the only way, the only path of the sinking station. From there… Jaune wasn't sure.

Another explosion rocked the colosseum, and Jaune stepped off the ledge.

He just hoped that his landing strategy was better than his last two.

* * *

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

Cinder Fall was not a woman who liked surprises.

In fact, one may even say that she hated them.

This surprise though… this was one she could work with.

Vale was burning, Amity was falling, and Beacon was besieged. It was as beautiful as she had dreamed it would be.

Cinder, for all her clairvoyance, hadn't foreseen the Arc boy going insane during his match today. Nor had she foreseen him killing the overwhelming majority of people in the stadium, including the irritant Qrow that had prevented her from stealing the Maiden powers in their entirety the first time. But watching as that foul man rotted and withered had been _delicious_.

Emerald had been on Amity at the time, and she too was dead. But that didn't infringe on the plan; she had only been necessary in helping generate enough negativity to summon a Grimm attack and awaken the Dragon. But little Jaune had done that job for her, and with far better results too.

But that was expected, given that he'd just slaughtered hundreds of people on international television.

It had been a simple matter to organise the White Fang to attack early, the stupid animals all too eager to jump into the slaughter.

Even now as Cinder stepped into the lower levels of Beacon, she couldn't help but smirk. Everything was going far better than she had ever planned; how exactly the Arc boy managed his carnage was lost to her, but that didn't stop her from appreciating the effects.

"M-Ma'am?"

Ah, dear Mercury. The boy was uneasy at the sheer number of Grimm present. Cinder couldn't particularly blame him, he did not have the same protection as she. Though it wouldn't matter much - at this point Mercury was a convenience, but not a necessity.

"A-are we sure the Maiden is here?"

"Be quiet," she commanded, the boy falling silent instantly. Good. "She is here." All she had to do now was to get the Maiden, and that was mere steps away.

Cinder stepped into the darkened sublevel, her minion dutifully following.

Aside from the dull roar of battle overhead, there was nothing. The screams of the dying were quiet and distant, and at best they would have only been a mild annoyance. All was still, silent… waiting.

Cinder rounded the corner, eyes widening slightly as she took in the scene before her.

"I must remember to thank Glynda for her ever-sharp intuition."

Ozpin stared at her, brown eyes piercing behind his small glasses. Behind him was the steel and glass coffin containing the Maiden.

This was bad. Very bad. Ozpin wasn't an opponent to be taken lightly, especially given the lack of a surprise attack or, infinitely better yet, the full powers of the Fall Maiden.

Beside her, Mercury gulped.

This wasn't a fight she could win without the full power of the Maiden behind her. Survive perhaps, but not win.

"Headmaster Ozpin," Cinder purred, false warmth in her voice, "what a pleasant surprise to see you here. I rather expected that you would be seeing to your wayward student, now cowering in the shadows."

Ozpin tapped his cane against the ground, the green lights on the walls flickering slightly as he did. What was he doing?

"Mr. Arc can be recovered in time," the older hunter tapped his cane again, lights flickering, "and when he is I must remember to thank him for giving me the practice I had been lacking in using aura sight."

Aura sight? What was he-

The cane tapped the ground thrice, the lights dying and absolute darkness consuming them.

Something slammed into her with the force of a truck, the narrow point of the object making her aura buckle briefly as Cinder was thrown backwards.

"I do believe, Miss Fall," Ozpin's voice echoed in the darkness, "that this is checkmate."

This… was not going as planned.

…

 **Vale, many years ago…**

John Arc was a brave man. He had fought hordes of Grimm alone, he had been forced to watch as his team died in pain, he watched as his wife was torn from him.

But John Arc was afraid.

Vale was on fire, Grimm poured through the city, the White Fang were running rampant, and Atlas had lost control of their machines - machines that were even now slaughtering innocents.

But that wasn't what made John fear.

His son was in danger. John had been afraid from the moment that Jaune had run away to join Beacon; John knew that the path of a hunter was one that ended only in death, but Jaune was old enough to make his own choices. His own decisions.

John had left his daughters in the capable care of his eldest child, Violet, so he could come to Vale and ensure Jaune's safety through the harshest training he could possibly muster.

But then the Breach happened… and it was clear to John that there was no real training that he could offer Jaune. Only the money and resources to continue his own learning. Tricky thing that; John hit things with his sword until they died - not terribly complicated. Jaune had become a Dust mage, something John would never be able to help him with.

John had stayed in Vale, if only to watch the Vytal festival and to see how Jaune acquitted himself. He hadn't been in the arena itself, too many people, and seating cost a pretty penny that John didn't care to spend.

So he had watched as the nightmare unfolded, the television in his hotel room showing him his worst nightmares.

Jaune was killing people. He was screaming. He was in pain. It had to be a semblance - it just had to be. What exactly it was John didn't dare to guess, but he had to help Jaune. He had to get him out of there. He had to save him.

Worn boots pounded across the cracked pavement as John neared the landing platforms for the airbuses to the now desolate-looking Amity. The floating stadium was shuddering and shaking, machinery and masonry breaking apart and shattering from something within the behemoth itself.

He had to save Jaune. He had to get Jaune out of there.

All around him, civilians screamed for help as Grimm or Atlas drones mowed them down. But John didn't stop. They were secondary to helping Jaune. _Everything_ was secondary to helping Jaune.

John battered men and women away to get to the airships. Aura-enhanced strength may have hurt them, but that didn't matter. Only getting to Jaune mattered. Everyone else was irrelevant.

A rattling explosion tore through the air above him, more debris being torn loose from the floating colosseum as it began to lose altitude.

Wait, lose altitude?

John's green eyes widened as the realisation hit him. Amity was falling, Amity was _falling_. Right over the heart of Vale. That… that would kill them all! What was left of the city would be consumed by the Grimm and all the outlying villages would wither without the Kingdom's protection.

No, no. John wouldn't let this be the end. He would get Jaune, get back to Dorme, and get the hell out of there. If Vale was to be destroyed then he would take the Arcs elsewhere. If the Atlas tech running around killing people was any indication, then war was brewing - but in that case John would just take his family to Vacuo. Nobody gave a shit about Vacuo, it was just all fucking sand.

People were screaming, but John ignored it. His frantic effort to get into one of the air buses ceased as John's dull green eyes locked onto one of the shapes falling from Amity, the _human_ shape.

"Jaune," John whispered. He could feel it deep in his gut, the knowledge that the speeding blur heading to the ground was his son.

He needed to save him.

Jaune wouldn't land too far from where John was now, but unless John did something then Jaune would land sooner than he could reach him - and then he would just be chow for the Grimm or the Atlesian droids.

John wouldn't let that happen.

John felt his aura shift and uncoil as his semblance oozed into the world. His fear became the fear of those around him, terror spearing through their souls until even other hunters cowered at the sight of John.

But that was what John's semblance was, he made people afraid.

People pulled away from him as quickly as their terror-wracked bodies could when John ran past. It would attract the Grimm to them, but that was necessary if John wanted to get to Jaune unimpeded.

John dashed through the cowering masses, but he kept his eyes on the falling form of Jaune who looked to be only seconds away from landing. God he hoped that Jaune had a landing strategy, a fall from that height would be enough to maim even a hunter if they botched the landing bad enough.

The sound of shattering stone and a pained shout attacked John's overused senses, the landing of his son shearing through one of the nearby buildings.

Stone and masonry showered John as he pushed onwards, but he didn't hesitate. Not even for a moment. "Jaune!" he cried, eyes wildly searching for his boy, "Jaune! Speak to me!"

John charged into the now shattered structure his son had made his landing in. Broken stone crunched underfoot and the growl of a Grimm pushed John into a furious rage. Grimm would _not_ claim another member of his family. He wouldn't allow it!

A Beowolf came into view, the dark mass looming over the fallen form of Jaune.

John roared, his righteous anger at the foul creature before him plain for all to see. Quick as a flash, his sword was drawn. Crocea Mors more than enough to slaughter the beast that hovered near Jaune.

The Beowolf barely had a second to turn to face its new opponent, red eyes briefly widening in surprise before its life was snuffed out.

The head barely had time to bounce on the broken stone before it faded away, the terrible anger of John Arc washing away just as quickly as it had come. Jaune. He had to get Jaune.

"Dad?" the voice was weak as it reached John's ears, and for one single, terrible moment John thought it was because of an injury.

But it wasn't. As John collapsed to his knees beside his son his eyes frantically covered the younger man's form, searching for anything amiss, any possible wound. The terrible scars were there of course, the disfiguring marks that made the boy almost unrecognisable from his original self. His eyes were closed right now, the dull bandanna he usually used to cover them missing. John wasn't sure whether this was a good thing or not.

Jaune had landed on his back, that much was clear from the way he was shielding the… thing on his chest. Half a girl, half a _robot_ girl.

"Salutations!"

...Whatever. There were more important things to deal with. Like getting the hell out of Vale before Amity met Remnant one final time.

Jaune's eyes opened, sickly yellow irises staring blindly into the world.

John hesitated for a moment. Yellow eyes. It had to be a semblance then, and whatever it was had killed all those people back when this started going down… no. John could not hesitate. He had to get Jaune out of here!

"Come on Jaune," John hefted Jaune's arm over his shoulder, mildly surprised that Jaune was able to keep hold of the machine girl in his hands. She looked to be Atlas tech, so John didn't exactly have high hopes on what exactly her purpose was. If Jaune could carry her then great, but if she slowed them down… she would have to go. "We need to go, Jaune."

John's aura tingled, but he ignored it. He had to get Jaune out, he could worry about other things later.

"Dad," Jaune slurred in his ear, "the colosseum is falling…"

Was his semblance doing this to him? He sounded like he was as high as a kite, but that couldn't be right. John knew a thing or two about aura and semblances, and unless there was a particularly impressive amount of self-hatred then a semblance couldn't have negative effects on the user. Unless… what had Jaune done to those people? Killed them, obviously. But _how_? Forced something on them or taken something away?

No, no, no. John had to focus on the _now_. Jaune wasn't killing anyone _now_ , so everything else could come later. "I know, Jaune," John rushed, pulling the two and a half of them out of the broken building and onto the street, "that's why we need to get out of here."

Jaune murmured something, but John didn't quite listen. They had to get out of the city, _now_.

"Warning!" the half-girl in Jaune's arms shouted suddenly, "My sensors indicate that there is less than two minutes until Amity Colosseum makes impact with Vale!"

Two minutes!? Shit, shit, shit! John quickened his pace as much as possible, Jaune's feet dragging across the ground as the Arc patriarch dragged him. Two minutes wasn't enough. If John dropped Jaune and sprinted then _maybe_ he could survive. But that wasn't an option.

He wouldn't leave Jaune behind. He would never leave another family member behind again. Never.

"Jaune," John hissed desperately, "I can't carry you all the way! I need you to walk!"

Jaune's head rolled back, the vacant expression receding as the sickly yellow eyes stared blankly in the direction of Amity. "I- stop!"

Jaune jerked violently, John's grip faltering as his son slipped to the ground.

"No!" John shouted as he turned to grab Jaune, "Come ON!"

Jaune's free right hand reached out and battered his father's arms away from him.

 _SNAP!_

John bit down on his tongue to restrain the howl of agony, his left forearm bent violently through the middle. Jaune had just broken his arm!

But apparently his blind son didn't notice the damage he'd done to his father, because he just kept staring blindly towards the falling monstrosity in the sky. "W-we need to stop it…" he slurred.

John cradled his wounded arm, his aura already working to soothe the damage. Just what the hell had happened? Why was Jaune so strong?! "Listen to me Jaune," John begged desperately, "we need to go! There is _nothing_ we can do but make sure we survive!"

Before John's eyes, Jaune slipped out of his haze, focus covering the broken face.

It was the same look his mother used to have…

"I can stop it," Jaune whispered, his fingers tightening as he sat up.

"No you can't!" John cried, uninjured arm grabbing his son by the shoulder. " _Nothing_ can stop that! We need to _go!_ "

Jaune pushed John away.

John knew that it was probably unintentional, but it still hurt.

The world tumbled end over end as John flew back, his ribs cracking violently as Jaune punted him backwards. John's back slammed into the stone wall of a nearby building, the masonry cracking and splintering as the huntsman smashed into it.

For a moment John blacked out, but an iron will snapped reality back into place for the hunter. The smoke of the burning city and the howls of the dying and the Grimm served to anchor him. Dull green eyes locked onto his son, the boy that had become so powerful so quickly.

Jaune's hands were reaching towards the sky.

John staggered out of the broken wall he'd found himself in. He had to get to Jaune, he had to get them out of the city…

Something creaked overhead.

John's eyes snapped upwards, dull green orbs widening in horror at seeing how close Amity was to the city. They had mere seconds.

"Jaune," the elder man fell to his knees beside his son. He'd failed. They would die. Jaune would die. "I'm _sorry_. I'm so _sorry_."

He'd failed.

The grinding of tortured metal rang through the city.

John's eyes snapped open, his gaze settling onto the broken symbol of peace that hung in the air.

It wasn't moving.

Or more precisely, it wasn't _falling_.

John glanced at Jaune.

The blind boy's hands were shaking violently as a rainbow of aura sparked and hissed off his frame, his face twisted grotesquely in intense concentration and strain.

There was no way. No _possible_ way that Jaune was holding Amity up…?

John stared. The massive crystalline formation of Dust that protruded from the bottom of Amity was _glowing_.

It was glowing _white_.

That wasn't the glow of Dust reactors powering the propulsion systems, that was the glow of _aura_.

Jaune screamed in agony from beside him as Amity was jerked to the side, the monstrously large construct _moving_.

John could only gape as his son saved Vale.

* * *

1237

* * *

 **A/N**

 **So… yeah. Nasty stuff. Things are changing more obviously now, events shifting thanks to the altered circumstances and whatnot. Can anyone predict how this is going to go down? Seriously, I would be very surprised if they could.**

 **Reviews:**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Serious things. Shit is going down.**

 **A fan:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Indeed this story is continuing (we're maybe… halfway through? Give or take...). There is much left to be explored - this includes both the events leading up to Nihilus becoming the monster first introduced in chapter one, as well as events continuing in the present.**

 **And thanks for the kind words.**

 **COOLER:**

 **Thanks for reviewing - I always love hearing from you.**

 **Jaune's character has shifted greatly from canon, and his solution to the boat dilemma shows that.**

 **The alternate RWBY were something of a mixed bag. Blake, and to a slightly lesser extent, Ruby weren't afraid of dying - in the end they embraced it. I wouldn't say Yang found peace in death, but she did find something she wasn't looking for (hint for the** _ **very**_ **end of the story there)** **.** **Weiss got the most shit deal out of all of them; but as you'll see next chapter, perhaps there is more going on there than one might think…**

 **Arkos happened because Jaune is bleeding heart softie, beyond that I won't say for fear of spoilers. Oh and no, Yang and Ruby were decidedly** _ **not**_ **okay with Jaune. If they knew where to find him, Yang would kill him on the spot and Ruby would go off the handle in her own unique way. Luckily for Jaune, they did not know where to find him. Less luckily for Jaune, they knew where to find Pyrrha and her mysterious husband.**

 **Alas, I thought you might have known me. My nickname is Jesus (long hair + beard = savior apparently) and many people call me this so I figured… well, it doesn't matter now. But feel free to ask questions whenever you want!**

 **FractiousDay:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **You are entitled to your opinion, however much I may disagree with it.**

 **The Powder Keg:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Thank you! This was a hard chapter to write, but I feel it turned out well.**

 **Jaune killed Violet for the final time. Jaune killed what Nihilus wanted to believe was Pyrrha. Jaune, perhaps unknowingly, made Nihilus feel hope for the first time in years - then he crushed that hope. I will keep writing for quite some time, and don't worry; Wraith is about only half done.**

 **Thanks! After I finished Wraith I was planning on moving to novel writing**

 **EWR115:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Dun dun dun indeed.**

 **TalonIbnLaAhad:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I wanted the fight to show the pain and regret of their former friendship, Ruby finally letting go of her ideals and Nihilus verbally pouring out years worth of hatred. I'm glad you liked it. As for why he didn't do something crueller when he killed her - pity, and perhaps some small shred of empathy. Nihilus knows that Ruby killed his daughter, but he also knows that she a victim of being lied to and being blinded by hatred - Nihilus never actually hated Ruby. He was extremely angry, but it never escalated to hatred.**

 **The issue of actually stopping Nihilus is a tricky one - something RWBY (the ones he killed anyway) likely wouldn't have ever succeeded in - Nihilus is functionally immortal, and they kept trying to kill him. At most, they may have destroyed his body eventually, but that would just piss him off enough to go nuclear. That being said, Nihilus is more fragile than one might think - but I won't spoil anything.**

 **In regards to Salem: Yes! she is indeed a character. I can't quite remember if you (or someone else) asked this earlier, but Salem has a role to play. Bear in mind, however, that Wraith is the story of Jaune Arc and until she takes an active role she won't be included (don't worry, that comes later). And for reference - Nihilus can actually 'see' Grimm, just not in a convenient way (again, later), and he is fully capable of just going Scorched Earth if things actually get serious.**

 **I loved your review, thank you for taking the time to post it!**

 **Blaiseingfire:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Thank you, that's what I was going for.**

 **SoraReach:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Fate Zero indeed. But I don't feel that takes away from it.**

 **Tondori:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Not precisely, but close enough.**

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading and reviewing, I had a blast with all the reviews from last chapter! You know what would make it better though? More reviews! So don't forget to leave one!**


	32. Infinite and Unbound

Wraith

Chapter Thirty-Two

Beta: Smithrooks

Infinite and Unbound

 **Vale, many years ago…**

Red and gold flashed, sword shearing through something she _really_ didn't want to think about.

Pyrrha hated this.

Before her, a nameless Faunus screamed as Pyrrha drove her sword into his shoulder. He didn't have aura, so the wound was messy, perhaps even as messy as it had been when Jaune had been stabbed with the same blade.

Unlike Jaune, this man was likely going to die.

Vale was flooded with Grimm, and one man without aura and down a limb wasn't going to survive. That was simply how Remnant worked sometimes.

Pyrrha had separated from RWBY the moment they arrived in the city. Safety in numbers was a nice thought - but the entire team, Yang in particular, seemed to have set themselves solely on _beating_ Jaune.

Beating him. Fighting him, killing him…

Jaune had killed people, and from what Pyrrha could decipher from the agonised and furious shouts of Ruby and Yang two of those people had been their father and uncle respectively.

But it was worse than that. The cameras hadn't stopped, Jaune had kept screaming. The panicking and confused people within the stadium had been ordered to evacuate, some of the air buses had left so obviously a few people had made it out… but the others? The cameras hadn't spared any details, people screaming in terror and fear as their bodies dissolved into ashes around them, as avian Grimm began to pound away at the barriers, as Jaune seemingly didn't notice and killed the beasts with unbelievable strength.

But hungry, hungry… what was that meant to mean? Why that word? How was that connected with what had happened? Why was he screaming that?

RWBY had no intention of speaking to Jaune rationally, no intention of finding out _why_ this was happening. Ruby and Yang wanted revenge, Blake and Weiss wanted justice.

Pyrrha wanted neither of those things.

Pyrrha wanted to know _why_.

Why this was happening, why all those people died, why the White Fang had suddenly appeared…

She didn't know where the rest of her team was. Russel still barely interacted with her due to his utter hatred of Jaune. Ren and Nora… they had been in the Colosseum. But their aura should have protected them, surely. Bought them enough time to escape at the very least…

She… she had to get to Jaune before RWBY did. They may not kill him, not intentionally, but they would attack first and ask questions later.

Red and gold flashed again, another nameless and faceless White Fang terrorist being taken out of the fight in a single instant. They were in the way. Jaune was her _friend_. Perhaps not her first, given that she and Ruby had bonded over him, but certainly her _best_ friend. A man she could tell anything to, trust absolutely.

She wasn't going to leave him to die, not at the hands of the White Fang, not at the claws and teeth of the Grimm, and certainly not by being on the now falling Amity.

She had seen the fiery comet of his exit from Amity. He was in the city somewhere, fighting, or perhaps in pain. It didn't matter.

Amity lurched from its position in the sky, the stadium tilting oddly in the air.

It was falling, but that was expected given the obvious damage the Grimm and Jaune had caused. It would hit Vale… but something was wrong. The angle… it was still falling. But it was falling… sideways?

Despite her confusion, Pyrrha didn't stop running. She couldn't… Jaune needed her.

But she kept her eye on Amity. Something was wrong there, gravity didn't work like that. And she would know, after sparring with Jaune a few times one tends to become familiar with how gravity and mass works - mostly through Jaune hitting several tonnes above his weight class admittedly - but Pyrrha could tell that the stadium shouldn't be falling like that. It should be falling _down_ , not towards… Forever Fall?

No, no, she had to focus. Get to Jaune and get to safety.

Pyrrha growled as a Beowolf rushed at her, the Grimm snarling ferociously with its maw opened wide.

One swing of her arm, and its head rolled across the ground.

"You're in my way!" she shouted furiously at the lesser Grimm. The White Fang numbers were thinning, so now it was mostly just Beowolves and Ursai that littered the streets.

They were only lesser Grimm, thankfully. None of the true monstrosities that walked Remnant were present for this battle; even the dragon attacking Beacon would only barely classify as a greater Grimm. Had something more… troubling appeared, then Vale may have been a lost cause. True horrors such as a Hydra, a Gleam-Eyes, or a Leviathan would have likely tipped the scales somewhat.

A flash of blonde hair caught her eye.

It was far, but there were two people, both blonde, surrounded by the Grimm. Mostly Beowolves and Ursai, but there were Griffons circling overhead…

One of the blonde figures was on the ground, slumped forwards into a vague sitting position with his arms reaching upwards. The other was locked in battle, his sword swinging with wild abandon as he hacked at the surrounding Grimm.

Pyrrha drew in closer, green eyes sharpening onto the two figures. The was something on the ground beside the kneeling man that she couldn't make out, but what she could make out was who they were - Jaune and his father.

She only recognized John Arc from the picture of him that floated in Jaune's contact list on his scroll. But Jaune… he barely looked conscious.

"Jaune!" Pyrrha shouted as she drew near, a feeling of odd lethargy settling over her, "Jaune!"

Any Grimm that were in her way died, their bodies rent and torn beyond salvation as Pyrrha rushed to her friend. She had to save him, to find out what was happening.

"No!" John Arc yelled at her as Pyrrha drew near. "Stay back!"

Pyrrha barely heard the words. Her aura… why was it so low? Why-

The world seemed to shake as Pyrrha fell to her knees, an intense sloth coming over her. Vision blurred as she tried to look towards Jaune, green eyes unable to focus.

"Damnit!" John Arc swore, the man suddenly standing over her, "Shit, fuck. Okay, I can still fix this, I can still save-"

Pyrrha could quite hear the rest of what John was saying, the words becoming slurred in her ears. What was happening? Gods, she was tired… she just needed a little nap…

A sudden jarring explosion of hellish red and orange stole her attention for a moment. The ground shuddering as Amity met Remnant in the distant reaches of Forever Fall. What…?

"Listen to me!"

The voice _demanded_ attention, Pyrrha's slothful gaze snapping to John Arc's face.

"Try not to die, but there's nothing else I can do…"

Something dropped to the ground next to Pyrrha, green eyes meeting green for a moment.

"S-S-Salutations!" It wasn't a stutter, it was a mechanical repeat.

The gleam of her own blade caught Pyrrha's eyes for a moment, Milo being shoved into the hands of the… half girl, robot? Thing? Beside her.

"Try not to die!"

John Arc vanished between one slow blink and the next from Pyrrha, her foggy mind unable to keep up with what was happening.

Where was Jaune? With herculean effort, Pyrrha looked over towards where he had been, but… no… there was John. In his arms was Jaune… why were they leaving? Where were they going…?

The last thing Pyrrha saw before she passed out was John carrying his son away.

* * *

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

Ozpin was a man of many skills.

He could create wonders, teach others to do the same, quell conflicts, save lives…

And he could murder.

The boy, Mercury if Ozpin recalled correctly, gurgled wetly as the cane twisted within his chest.

Truly, Ozpin did not enjoy what he had done. The death of one who was little more than a child was always something to be regretted, but it was necessary.

Ozpin withdrew the cane, ignoring the wet noise as he flicked the blood free from his weapon of choice. Mercury had been skilled for someone his age, but he was still a child, and his control over aura reflected that. The boy had been too busy panicking in the dark to guide his aura into anything beyond its natural defensiveness - thus one attack later his aura had been distracted, and then with the aura routed to other areas of the body it had been simple to overcome the paltry amount that had remained and force his cane through the boy's heart.

A pity.

"Still hiding in the dark, Miss Fall?" Ozpin questioned, natural eyes utterly blind but with the light of his aura sight to guide him. "I believe you accused me of that; rather hypocritical of you to do the same, don't you think?"

'Hiding' was perhaps the wrong word, as Ozpin knew exactly where she was. But directly attacking was a risky venture indeed - he had to protect the casket that contained Amber, and so playing this defensively appeared to the the wiser option now that the weakest link had been removed in the form of Mercury.

The wave of fire that sprouted from the darkness a moment later was sudden, but not unexpected. It was very large and powerful, and Ozpin was more than aware that the assault was likely more aimed at what he protected rather than himself.

Not that it meant anything.

The aged headmaster slammed his cane down, the flames sputtering and dying as they washed over him.

This woman was powerful, that was beyond question. But he was stronger - perhaps if she had been able to take the full power of the Maiden she may have beaten him, but now?

That attack of hers had confirmed it. She was strong enough to take out most hunters, but Ozpin wasn't like most hunters.

In fact, one might even say that Ozpin was nothing like most hunters.

Ozpin crossed the distance between the two of them in an instant, partly in thanks to his casual use of gravity Dust to expedite things, but mostly under his own power. Interesting thing about mass and gravity; it was actually velocity that determined how damaging most things were, not mass - so when Ozpin slammed his cane into Cinder's face it wasn't that it was particularly heavy, most of the damage came from the speed at which he struck.

Cinder flew backwards, her body slamming into the wall with earth-shattering force.

Cinder recovered admirably, fire sprouting around her body to provide hellish illumination. Twin swords creaked within her hands, the blades blazing with fiery energy. "I won't let you win this, Ozpin. I won't let you take from me what is rightfully mine."

Rightfully hers? An interesting way of looking at things, considering that she had attempted to steal the power in the first place.

"We shall see," Ozpin replied, not unkindly, "I must disagree with you on who the rightful owner of the power is, however."

Cinder scowled, red aura twisting to show her hatred. In a flash she charged forwards, curved blades hacking downwards towards the aged headmaster.

Ozpin spared a moment to block the blades, barely pausing as he flicked his cane around and stabbed its tip into his attacker a half dozen times. Kids these days, so slow…

Cinder skidded back across the room, swords shattering into glass as she dragged her hands through the ground. With a single twist of her body, a dozen razor-sharp shards of… glass? Molten stone? Whatever, materialised in the air. With a grunt of effort, they screamed towards Ozpin.

But that was easy.

Ozpin swung his cane around him, the powerful attack utterly failing to reach him as he blocked it completely. The headmaster sprang into motion, legs carrying him towards his opponent in an instant.

Again and again he slammed the point of his cane into Cinder, and to her credit she managed to block a few, but not all. With one final attack to finish the flurry Ozpin punched Cinder in the face with thunderous force, dully noting the sensation of her nose breaking as the blow connected.

"This is not a fight you can win," Ozpin informed his enemy lightly, "you would be wise to surrender."

To the eyes of Ozpin's aura sight he could see that her aura was low, dangerously so. The powerful attacks she had been throwing around would have been more than enough to crush most hunters, but they were evidently draining as well. All it would take from Ozpin was one more flurry to kill her.

Cinder snarled at him, "I won't surrender, I-"

The entire world seemed to shake and shudder for a moment, stone and masonry cracking and breaking as something rocked the ground with thunderous force.

The shaking was immense, Ozpin's focus breaking as his aura sight failed for just the barest moment. A second later it was back in place, but the moment of distraction was all his opponent needed.

The last of Cinder's aura poured into the fireball that slammed into the ceiling, the already damaged masonry shattering utterly under the new force. Stone and concrete rained down upon and before Ozpin, the courtyard above becoming exposed as the roof fell through atop him. It wasn't an attack meant to kill, it was meant to… delay.

It hadn't hurt, as such, but the attack fulfilled its purpose. Ozpin and the metal casket of Amber were blocked behind behind a wall of stone and broken roofing.

The sounds of the slowly dying battle above reached Ozpin's ears, screams of the dying and wounded seeping through the stone as though to taunt him.

Cinder was still there, on the other side. But now, peering at her soul as Jaune had taught him how, Ozpin couldn't help but wonder why it looked so… amused.

"You can't see it Ozpin," her voice speared through the stone; weak from fatigue and failure, but darkened by the spiteful hatred. "But I can, the damage that your favourite little student has wrought. When you break free you will gaze upon the broken remnants of your 'peace', and you will see what your beloved Amity has become."

Ozpin didn't reply. His inner eye gazed intently at her mutilated soul as Cinder ran away.

Cinder had lost, and Ozpin had prevailed.

A scream rang out from above him, the death cry escaping the mouth of a dying student.

But at what cost had this victory come?

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

Glynda Goodwitch liked to consider herself a good judge of character.

She was the personal trainer of the next generation of huntsmen and huntresses. She had seen hundreds of students pass through Beacon, and she fully planned on seeing hundreds more pass through.

She had seen students attain hard-earned triumph, seen them achieve victories they had worked towards their entire lives. She had seen students lose friends and teammates, watched as despair poisoned their spirit and life.

But never had she seen something like this.

Jaune Arc…

At first he had seemed just like one of the many others, a child eager to gain 'glory' and become a hero like so many before him. Initiation and the following days of classes had done little to shift that opinion of the boy.

He had been happy, average and _normal_.

But now…

The boy sat before Ozpin, Ironwood and herself in the headmaster's office. He looked like a walking corpse, his face gaunt and his skin sallow. But it was his eyes that really captured her attention. The deep ocean blue that had once been uninteresting but full of life were now just… empty. It was as though there was just _nothing_ left in him.

They had found the boy when Ironwood, Ozpin and herself had returned to Beacon - they had felt the power being thrown around, the tidal wave of energy that was Nihilus suddenly just… vanishing. So when they returned, they weren't sure what to expect.

However, seeing Jaune Arc staring at the ashen body of the alternate Ruby Rose with a look of such crushing despair as though he had lost the most important thing in his life… no. That was wrong, he hadn't been looking at the body at all. His eyes were there, but his mind had been elsewhere.

But that had changed. Where before there had been unbelievable sorrow, now there was just… nothing.

"So you claim that Miss Rose was the one to defeat him? How did she achieve this?" Ironwood demanded.

Glynda stared at Jaune. Something was terribly wrong; with the apparent defeat of the Lord of Hunger - as pretentious a name as that was - Jaune should be elated that his captivity was now over, pleased that his… counterpart had been slain.

"That's right," Jaune said blandly, dull blue eyes never wavering as he stared forwards. "Ruby did something before he killed her - I don't know what, and then he faded away. He's gone."

Perhaps it was intuition, or perhaps it was mere experience dealing with people his age, but something told Glynda that the statement wasn't entirely true. Not entirely false either, but something about it just rang as incorrect in her mind.

Glynda shivered, a silent chill settling onto her for a moment.

Dull blue eyes sharpened for a moment and settled onto her, moving for the first time since the conversation had begun. Jaune Arc stared at her, something akin to hatred or perhaps sorrow colouring his eyes for a moment before he looked away.

What had that been?

"Are you absolutely certain, Mr. Arc?" Ozpin enquired softly, compassion evident on his face. "I know it must be hard for you, but-"

"I'm sure," Jaune interrupted, "Nihilus is dead."

"Perhaps," Glynda hedged, emerald-green eyes settling onto her employer, "it would be best if we allowed Mr. Arc to take some time to recover from his ordeal. Some time in the infirmary, and then he can rejoin classes when he is feeling better." It went unspoken that Glynda believed that this interrogation had gone on long enough.

Had anyone ever asked, Glynda would deny it to the day she died. But she couldn't help but feel pity for the boy. Whatever horrors the Lord of Hunger had inflicted upon him had obviously left their mark, enough to put him into such a sorry state that he looked… dead inside.

Although perhaps that was unsurprising, given the story Miss Nikos had told. If she were to be believed he actually _did_ die, and the Lord of Hunger had… revived him.

"We are nearly done," Ironwood hastily replied, "only a few more questions then-"

"No," Ozpin commanded, voice cutting over the other headmaster. "I believe we know enough, and perhaps Mr. Arc will feel that he is able to tell us more when he is in better health. Glynda, could you escort him to the infirmary?" Unsaid was the uncertainty of Jaune being able to make it there himself.

Ironwood looked like he might argue, but the combined looks from both Ozpin and Glynda were enough to quell any debate. The cyborg man settled back, blue eyes staring intently at Jaune with his brow furrowed. That was the look James wore when he was planning something, and Glynda wasn't eager to find out if it involved her student.

"Of course, Headmaster." Glynda rose to her feet, lightly gesturing for her wayward student to do the same.

The elevator door opened as the two of them stepped forwards, Jaune slouching with downcast eyes while Glynda hovered closely, ready to help him at a moment's notice.

Glynda knew that, as a teacher, she was obligated to be impartial. But she knew she cared for all her students, even ones that had only come into her tutelage recently. So seeing Mr. Arc like this… she didn't like it. Regardless of what or _who_ the Lord of Hunger had been, he was lucky he was gone now, otherwise Glynda would be seeking… words with him.

 _Painful_ words.

She was aware, of course, that Nihilus was the alternate version of Mr. Arc from the same world as the team RWBY that had unfortunately perished. But looking at the student next to her and comparing him to the monster she had only briefly met in person was nigh impossible. How greatly had the world failed him for Nihilus to become the monster he was? How thoroughly had her alternate counterpart failed as a teacher for him to reach that result?

It wouldn't happen again, she resolved quietly to herself. In this world, in this time, she would ensure that this particular student of hers didn't fall onto the path of madness. She wouldn't allow it.

But how to go about it? Subtlety wasn't exactly Glynda's forte, she much preferred dealing with things directly. But… perhaps it would be best to simply be kind. Kindness and compassion were two of their greatest weapons against the dark, after all.

"Are you…" Glynda asked lowly, "okay, Mr. Arc?"

The boy- nay, man, was silent, and for a moment Glynda thought he simply hadn't heard her.

"Is there meaning in taking a life?" Jaune asked quietly, eyes downcast. "Is the act of murder justified if the circumstances are right?"

Glynda held back a wince. Questions such as these weren't uncommon among the older and more experienced students, but usually it was Oobleck that played the role of therapist when a student was forced to take a life. But given the story Mr. Arc had told them, as well as the story of Miss Nikos…

Jaune had spilled enough blood to drown in.

It wasn't his fault, this she knew. Hopefully with the poisonous influence of Nihilus gone Mr. Arc would be able to return to some semblance of normality, but that would take time. Time enough to wear away whatever guilt he had eating away at his soul.

"The taking of a life is never easy, Mr. Arc," Glynda answered slowly, eyes never leaving the student. "But sometimes… sometimes a choice must be made, a choice between what is right and what is easy."

"And if there is no right choice?" Jaune whispered desperately, dull blue eyes finally settling onto Goodwitch. "What if there is no choice? Only the option of saving yourself or saving everyone else?"

Glynda closed her eyes and breathed deeply. That was another difficult question, and another question frequently asked by those with some form of survivor's guilt. Tricky, tricky… would that she could defeat all the enemies of mankind herself, spare her students from the life of hardship that awaited all hunters.

"In that scenario, Mr. Arc," the elevator slowed down, nearing the ground floor, "I believe we must trust ourselves to find the correct answer for all, even if that is not the correct answer for ourselves."

Jaune didn't respond. Blue eyes settled onto the floor once more, words unspoken hovering in the air.

All Glynda could do for now was give support where needed. Beyond that… simple kindness was all Mr. Arc needed, kindness and time.

She could only hope that it was enough.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

Weiss Schnee liked to think she was above rumors and petty gossip.

She liked to think many things, but that didn't actually make them true.

She and the others, as well as the entire student body, had returned to Beacon shortly after Professors Goodwitch, Ozpin and Ironwood had given the all-clear. Apparently the Lord of Hunger had been defeated and killed by the special huntress she and RWBY had seen prior to their failed attempt to retrieve Jaune.

That didn't exactly ring true, especially given that RWBY and JNPR had watched the fight - something else had happened, the huntress had died in vain.

Regardless of the suspiciously incorrect details of Nihilus' defeat, he was doubtlessly gone - the rumor mill of Beacon was quick at spreading that particular detail.

Weiss fully expected to feel pleased that such a dangerous criminal had finally been put to justice.

But for some reason she felt… disquieted.

Logically there should be no reason for her unease, and despite the fact that she had spent - not that she would ever admit it - the last twenty minutes brooding on the matter, Weiss couldn't see why she felt like something was wrong.

She was meant to be sleeping right now, as were the rest of RWBY given that it was already gone eleven at night. Yang was the obvious sleeper in the group, her snores enough to rattle Weiss' teeth even from across the room. Blake gave herself away as sleeping just by how relaxed she was, the lack of her usual tension the only indicator on the otherwise silent sleeper.

Weiss could tell that Ruby, however, wasn't asleep. The younger girl had a tendency to mumble and kick randomly during slumber, something that she wasn't doing.

It had been pretty obvious that prior to going to bed she was doing the Ruby equivalent of brooding - which looked more like a constipated puppy than _actual_ brooding. The business with the Arc boy had been wearing on her, especially given that he had shooed them away so the Lord of Hunger couldn't hurt them - a wise decision as far as Weiss was concerned, but to Ruby…

However, the source of Ruby's angst was clear; she was still foolish enough to believe in heroes that saved all and were loved by all and could never fail. Weiss' own dilemma was… less clear.

It was as though something was hovering just at the edge of perception, like a memory that was just on the tip of the tongue but not actually _there_.

Perhaps she should just let it go for now, sleep on it and let the issue clarify itself when she was better rested. Yes… that seemed like the best solution.

Muscles relaxed as tension bled away. The day hadn't been particularly physically strenuous, but mentally it had been challenging.

Sleep seeped into the edge of consciousness, washing away at her…

" _Why do you even bother anymore, Ruby?"_

Weiss jerked in bed, the voice ringing in her ears.

Or more precisely, the sound of _her own_ voice ringing in her ears.

Panic gripped at Weiss as she tried to rise, but her body failed to move as all her muscles flexed and tightened. Words failed her as she tried to call for help, for anything really, though nothing escaped her.

Something was pulling at her now, she could feel it. It was as though it were tugging at her aura, not quite draining it, but just… pulling.

Weiss' body jerked, her mind slipping into something not her own.

" _I do it because we're better than he is, Weiss. Because I need him to know that, I need him to know that… that I didn't mean to."_

 _Resignation. Sadness. Regret._

" _Ruby, he was captured a year ago now. He only spoke that one time, you heard what he said…"_

" _ **I will never forgive you!"**_

" _I don't expect him to speak back to me, Weiss. If not for Penny telling me that he was still alive I'd think that he was dead. The way he's chained there…"_

 _Shame. Sorrow. Pride._

" _I know, Ruby. It was my family that made the chains. But you know as well as I why they keep him."_

" _But is what Ironwood doing to him right? I know what Jaune did, but…"_

 _Disgust. Hatred. Revulsion._

" _Ironwood is only doing what he thinks is best, Ruby. Even if it is… distasteful."_

" _Please, Weiss… just, just… stay with me this time? You don't have to speak to him, just let me tell him that you're there."_

 _Melancholy. Sadness. Regret._

" _Argh, fine Ruby. But I won't waste my time speaking to someone who won't speak back."_

" _Yes! Thank you, Weiss! I'll set up the connection now."_

 _Happiness. Sadness. Acceptance._

" _Salutations, Friend-Ruby and Friend-Weiss! It is a pleasure to see you!"_

" _Good afternoon, Penny."  
_

" _Hi, Penny!"_

 _Trepidation. Anxiety. Regret._

" _I did not expect to see you today Friend-Weiss, will you be joining Friend-Ruby on her weekly conversation with Friend-Jaune?"  
_

" _Yes. Would you put us through?"_

" _Certainly! Friend-Jaune always looks forward to his conversations with Friend-Ruby, I am sure he will be most excited to speak with you!"_

 _Change_ _. Revulsion._ _Forced Empathy._

 _Hunger._

 _Disgust._

" _Hello, Jaune."_

" _Hi, Jaune."_

 _Nerves. Shame. Anticipation?_

" _ **..."**_

 _Nothing. Absence. Empty._ _Hollow._

" _How has your week been, Jaune? I know mine has been pretty hectic."_

" _ **..."**_

 _Silence_ _. Disappointment. Vindication._ _Acceptance._

" _I brought Weiss with me, I told you I would. Aren't you going to say hello?"_

" _ **..."**_

" _Anyway, stuff is pretty full on as usual. Me and the girls have been going on more missions lately, but nothing to do with Atlas. We still don't trust Ironwood."_

 _A stirring. Hatred. Rage._ _Understanding._

" _ **..."**_

" _I'm still trying to convince Blake to come speak sometime, it's gonna happen I swear. I got Weiss, didn't I?"_

" _ **..."**_

 _Regret._ _Disbelief._ _Fear._

" _Well, it was nice talking to you Jaune. I'll see you again next week, yeah? Say goodbye to him Weiss."_

 _Acceptance. Exasperation._ _Melancholy._

" _Goodbye… Jaune."_

 _Disquiet. Nervousness._ _Desolation. Loneliness._

It ended abruptly. The imageless vision ceasing with a snap and a gasp.

Weiss was sweating, her hands shaking and her skin clammy. Just what the hell was that?

* * *

1237

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Okay, I have had a few people complain to me both in reviews and via PM that I write too much introspective stuff. To which I have only one thing to say:**

 **I am a full-time writing and philosophy student, what do you expect?**

 **I study philosophy… which is _all_** **introspection. Seriously, it's like, all I do with my life. My writing reflects this.**

 **That being said, onto the reviews:**

 **The Powder Keg:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Indeed, on pure technicality moving Amity could be classified as a team effort.**

 **In regards to the dragon: It depends. Bearing in mind that currently Jaune is still unable to see Grimm, he is also unable to achieve unassisted flight just yet. That being said, however, should Jaune actually be functional enough to know what was happening (let's be honest, he was tripping pretty heavily last chapter) and should the opportunity present itself Jaune could kill the Dragon quite easily. Imagine what Ren did to the head of the King Taijitu in initiation (canon) and that basically covers it.**

 **Alas, that won't be happening. John Arc is determined to see his son out of Vale, everyone else be damned.**

 **And yes, there is much more to come…**

 **TalonIbnLaAhad:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I admit I may have done it on purpose. I liked the impact of it.**

 **Jaune is on a similar path to what Nihilus himself once walked, and though there are differences it will be interesting to see (and write) how he turns out. The fact that Jaune carries the curse Nihilus bestowed upon him will be a game changer for sure, and I'm sure you'll be in for a surprise at some of the things Jaune does with his new found freedom and power.**

 **Both Jaune and Nihilus are... less than they were originally. Death has a way of putting things into perspective, and what they were is gone - perhaps not forever, but for as long as they are alive. They both stopped being Jaune Arc when they died the first time, and yet Jaune clings to that name like a lifeline - false as it may be for him now.**

 **As for names, congratulations - you are the first person to guess this. Jaune will indeed take on a new name in time, though like Nihilus the name Jaune takes for himself will stand opposed to his claim to Lordship. Nihilus, Nihilism, is the inherent lack of desire or want - the belief that life is pointless. Whereas the Lord of Hunger, Hunger, is the need for sustenance and the desire to live. Nihilus was both these things. Jaune's name will show the same dual nature, standing in contrast to what he is and yet finding harmony in the middle.**

 **I loved your review.**

 **Cicada 3301:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I think the reference is pretty neat too, that's why I made it. I like to think I matched the characters to the lord titles fittingly.**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Yeah, I can see how it would have that effect.**

 **Death-The-Horsemen:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Thank you.**

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading, and remember to leave a review!**


	33. Darkly Dreaming

Wraith

Chapter Thirty Three

Beta: Smithrooks

Darkly Dreaming

 **Dorme, many years ago.**

 _ **One month following the Fall of Amity.**_

The knife came down, red spilling on either side.

The tomato split in two.

John Arc stood in his kitchen, making lunch for his daughters. Bread, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese… it was all dreadfully cliché.

But it was the mundane nature of it that John enjoyed. No ungodly abominations trying to murder him, no life or death battles, no moral ambiguity, no social shunning…

Quickly enough the pile of sandwiches grew large, more than enough to feed seven people - but perhaps barely enough to feed seven people of which half were teenaged food vacuum cleaners. Not that they'd ever admit or acknowledge that, of course.

"Okay girls!" His voice carried through the oddly quiet house, "Lunch is ready!"

It wasn't meant to be like this. Not this quiet, not like a tomb. It had been like this since… well, _it_ happened.

Quiet footsteps signalled the march into the dining area where John waited. His youngest, Grace, came in first. The normally lively girl was quiet and subdued, with little evidence of her usual thirteen-year-old energy or life about her. Sarah came next, attitude mirroring that of her twin sister before her. The two made a depressing pair. John could hardly blame them, but he made sure to smile warmly regardless.

The two sat down and started eating quietly.

Stomping down the stairs with much more vigour came Scarlet. She, being fifteen, was quite content taking sadness out in the form of anger, despite knowing that everyone knew what she was doing. Following behind her was Amethyst; a touch more subdued than her younger sister, but the resentment still simmering under the surface of the nineteen-year-old.

"I'd hurry before your sisters eat it all," John smiled weakly.

He was, of course, ignored.

His eldest three daughters all came down at once, Jade and Hazel - or the original twins as they enjoyed calling themselves - marched down with eyes only for the food. They, by virtue of impeccable teamwork built over twenty-one years of 'training' together for situations just like this, quickly claimed dominance over the plate of sandwiches.

Violet, John's eldest daughter at twenty-three years of age, slipped in quietly in the wake of the twins. Her eyes, so similar to that of her name, settled onto John for a moment before flickering to the rapidly diminishing plate of food.

It would be a charming scene to the outside observer, but all present knew differently. The air held a feeling of grief mixed with the horrible sensation of gut-wrenching anticipation.

Like they were waiting for it all to come crashing down again.

"I'll…" John said into the quiet room, "I'll be going for another walk today."

Chewing stopped for only a moment, but quickly recommenced in the face of apathy.

They were all hurt and angry… Angry at John for the perceived failure, and hurt by _his_ absence.

Shortly following the clusterfuck that was the Vytal Festival, Jaune Arc had been declared public enemy number one, and orders were for him to be killed on sight should any sign of him or his whereabouts be found.

But no-one had found him. Jaune Arc had vanished from the face of Remnant.

Of course, that hadn't stopped the month of constant interrogations and heckling for the Arc family. People accused them of all sorts of things, but without proof - of which they had none - nothing had come of it.

Nothing official anyway. Jaune Arc was the greatest mass-murderer in the last thousand years of recorded history, and with that 'honour' came something of a reputation that unfortunately extended onto the rest of the family. The Arcs were social pariahs, cautionary tales… and outcasts everywhere except the walls of their own home.

Jaune Arc was infamous now. So infamous that they referred to him by a pretentious title the media gave him rather than his actual name. It was dumb, and only given because of the things he was screaming just before everything started going to shit. Hungry, hunger… The Lord of Hunger. John wasn't sure why Jaune was being referred to as a 'lord', but to him the entire damn thing was messed up - new name included.

The Fall of Amity, as it was coming to be known, was the single largest mass-killing… ever. Sure, there were people who had killed _more_ , but never in a single incident. Not like that.

Add to that the fact that it had been internationally broadcasted? Yeah, it hadn't ended well for anyone involved.

The actual name of the event was a rather bitter point for John. Amity Colosseum had been poised to fall into the heart of Vale and utterly destroy the city, kill any chance of the kingdom crawling out of this… but then it had crashed into Forever Fall instead.

The current theory was that one of the maintenance officers had somehow survived Jaune's rampage, realised that Amity was falling, and gave his/her life diverting the course of the crash.

But John knew the truth.

The girls were angry and sad, as contrasting as those emotions were. They didn't know what happened, what _really_ happened.

But John did.

John passed through the maze of corridors within his own home, only stopping to idly collect a couple books and a torch as he passed through on his way to the front door.

"I'll be back later, girls!" he called out, hoping for a response.

He didn't get one.

With a sigh, John stepped out the door, utterly ignoring the the venomous glares the neighbours sent his way. Such petty people… and to think, less than a month ago they'd been friends of the family.

At more of a stroll than anything else John made his way out of the town, leaving the walls and angry stares behind him as he made his way towards the not-quite-mountain Dorme was built in the shadow of. Trees and other foliage became thick and treacherous as he moved through nature, but to a hunter like he that meant very little.

Dorme was built as a mining town some eighty years ago, the entire population finding work through the mines built through the mountain that wasn't really a mountain - technically too small, but still looked the part enough for people to call it that. The Dust had run dry about twenty years after the original setup, and while some people had left, many more had stayed.

The mineshafts were still there though, if one knew where to find them. Empty and utterly useless for their original purpose… but still viable for other things.

John neared the mountain, the verdant trees and shrubbery giving way to something altogether more depressing to behold: death.

Perhaps not death in the literal sense of the word, but death nonetheless. The grass was brown and empty, the trees were withered husks devoid of life… generally miserable to see. Not that John cared, this was what he'd come here for.

Stepping past the decay, the huntsman peered at an opening within the rock face, the gaping dark within a stark contrast to the light of the midday sun overhead.

Without hesitation, John stepped into the dark. He knew there was only one thing in this cave, and that… that was why he was here.

John shuffled the books in his left hand as he dug his torch out of his pocket with his right. The harsh white light illuminated the dark starkly, the twisting maze of tunnels and dead ends highly confusing to those who don't know their way.

But John did, and soon enough he reached his destination.

"Hello, Jaune."

Out of the darkness the dirty husk of a human being looked back, his face splitting with honest joy. "Dad."

* * *

 **Abandoned mineshaft, many years ago…**

 _Hungry._

It just wouldn't _stop_.

The _need_ , the _desire_ , the _want_. It was endless, unfaltering and, ironically, all-consuming in its nature. It was pounding, eating away at his core, _demanding_ that Jaune _do_ something.

But for all the pain, all the suffering, Jaune wallowed in the dark.

Jaune was alone, but at the same time he wasn't. Over a thousand voices screamed, all crying for help or for death, but their cries fell on deaf ears. The call… it wasn't a physical thing. Not really; almost like a memory, forgotten right up until the moment of remembrance. It was enough to drive anyone mad, but the cacophony was mild compared to the real torture Jaune was feeling.

His semblance, for that is the only thing it could be, devoured the aura and souls of others. The effect wasn't limited to people either - it literally drained _everything_ that contained the barest speck of aura, plants and animals included.

Though there was a stark difference between people and plants. The act of… consuming… the soul of a person was like eating a star, so overwhelming in its radiance Jaune was surprised he wasn't burnt away in the attempt. Devouring a plant was so… underwhelming compared to that. Like being promised the most delicious food in the world, but instead getting only a slice of stale bread.

 _Hungry._

And god wasn't it horrifying. Jaune was meant to be a hero, a saviour… but he was a killer. A murderer. Things _died_ around him. All life just… ceased to exist in his presence. Thousands of people, his own _team_.

Dead.

People that trusted him, that had relied on him…

Dead.

All dead.

It was like a nightmare. No, it _was_ a nightmare. But this was one dream he would never escape from.

Water dripped quietly down the walls.

This place… this was his prison. A place of refuge, but still a prison. Father had brought him here after the… after….

Well, father had brought him here.

The first few days had been the worst, the endless _hunger_ made infinitely worse by the lack of anything to consume. The absence of anything but the stone, water and cold for comfort… It had actually taken Jaune about two weeks to realise what this place was. He and his sisters used to play in these tunnels, or they played in the higher levels at least. Down here, in the deep darkness… not that the absence of light meant anything to a blind man, but the metaphor wasn't lost on Jaune.

He'd fallen into the black as so many other hunters had. Fallen into what had been his purpose to remove.

 _White Aura_.

 _Hungry._

Jaune had tried to control his semblance, tried to master the crushing weight that demanded that he _eat_. But that was like trying to hold back a tsunami with a paper cup. Control reigned for hardly a second, the barest moment where Jaune's will overpowered his want, then it was overwhelmed and his semblance activated once again.

Except… something odd applied to John Arc.

Maybe it was because he was a family member, or maybe it was for some other convoluted reason - regardless, Jaune's semblance washed over his father… and left him alone.

John Arc was immune to him.

Perhaps if Jaune actually _tried_ to focus his semblance it may have some effect on John, but Jaune had no interest in this. All his effort was directed towards _stopping_ his semblance.

"Hello, Jaune."

White light, so radiant, so comforting.

Jaune felt a smile split across his grimy and ruined face, the utter loneliness held at bay for just the barest moment. "Dad."

The elder Arc shuffled into the 'room' quietly. Perhaps calling it a room was misleading, as it was actually just a dead-end tunnel in the deepest part of the mine. But… with the cot and other little things his father had brought, it was almost homely.

Well, as homely as a dirty hovel in the middle of nowhere could ever get anyway.

 _Hungry._

"How are the girls?" Jaune rasped, throat unused to speaking. It wasn't like he hadn't drunken anything… but water tasted like ash in his mouth. Food tasted like charcoal…

John settled himself onto the floor opposite Jaune, aura weary but comforting. "They miss their brother."

Jaune's smile faded, the crushing knowledge that he would likely never be able to really be with them filtering through his thoughts for a moment before he shoved it away. "Well, I'm sure this will all blow over soon enough and I'll be able to see them."

It was a lie. Both men knew it. And yet neither wanted to break the hopeful illusion.

"How have you been, Jaune?" John asked into the darkness.

Jaune smiled woodenly; awful, lonely, terrified, depressed, guilty, _hungry_ … "Fine, Dad. I've been fine. I think I'm getting better at controlling it."

If that wasn't an utter lie…

"That's good."

The silence stretched on for a moment, neither man really sure what to say. Here in the deep dark the lack of words stretched out seemingly endlessly, like the black itself was just another element of the endless hunger - but instead of souls it was eating away at the words.

"So…" John broke the silence awkwardly, "I ah… I brought some books with me. I figured that I could, ah, read them to you? Only if you wanted, that is."

Jaune's face spit into a smile, that sounded like a _great_ idea. Something to tear his thoughts away from the infinite guilt and remorse would be a nice change. "Please," Jaune practically begged. "I need something to keep me from going mad."

 _Hungry._

John's aura flickered in relief. "Okay. Okay, what do you want me to read first? I brought…"

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

Weiss wasn't mad.

She wasn't.

She was Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, professional singer and huntress-in-training. She was in perfect control of her mental faculties.

" _Where is he?! I'll kill him!"  
_

Weiss jerked her head to the side, eyes refocusing on what was before her. "What was that? Can you repeat that, please?"

Yang rolled her eyes from across the table, "I said, what's wrong? You've been distracted all day, Weiss-cream."

Irritation flashed through her at the much-hated nickname. But Weiss let it slide, Yang was only concerned about her after all. It was nice to be around people who cared. "I'm fine," Weiss lied blatantly.

They were having breakfast, though Weiss was only poking at her food. Her mind was elsewhere, outside the cafeteria that she and her team currently sat in.

She wasn't insane. Things like that happened to other people; not her. Not to Weiss Schnee.

But last night… when that vision ended…

It had been so _real_. Both like, and unlike a dream at the same time. It was like… like a memory. An old, old memory that was half-forgotten a very long time ago… but still there, clinging to the edge of perception.

There had been no images to tie to the sound, but the things that… the not-Weiss and not-Ruby had spoken about…? Why Jaune? Why focus on him? As far as Weiss was aware he was a buffoon, if a well-intentioned one. Why speak so gravely of him?

And worse still were the _voices_. Someone would say something, it didn't even matter what, and then it triggered the voices. They sounded like RWBY, but the things they were speaking about… it was all hatred. All anger and guilt and remorse and more hatred.

And all about _him_.

She didn't know who 'he' and 'him' were of course, not directly anyway. But given the nature of the 'vision' last night it was reasonable to assume that it was about Jaune once again. Which plainly didn't make sense. Why would she have these… 'visions' about him? What was the point? What was the cause?

She hadn't told the others of course. Friends they may be, but Weiss had known them for less than a fortnight. They could think she was mad, insane…

And she wasn't. Weiss Schnee was _not_ insane.

"You have been rather quiet today, Weiss," Blake commented.

" _Can't you see Weiss? This is my fault! He didn't deserve this, he didn't deserve any of this!"_

Weiss shook the voice off, the sound of not-Blake fading away.

"I've been thinking," Weiss deflected.

The three girls on the opposite side of the table leaned forwards. "What about?" Yang prompted.

Ruby pushed her sister to the side, "You can tell us what's wrong, Weiss."

" _This is wrong… so wrong… what- what did we do?!"_

Weiss slammed her hands on the table with enough force to make the wood creak and bend, "Enough!" she heaved, anger building.

Her teammates stared at her, aghast.

"Weiss?" Ruby cried, "Why are you so angry?"

But Weiss wasn't listening. She was too busy storming out of the cafeteria.

She was aware it probably wasn't very reasonable of her to get so angry with her team like that, but it couldn't be helped. The voices were… distracting, to say the least. They tore away at the background, always there, constantly hovering in the frayed edges of perception.

It was killing her. Perhaps not literally, but it was intolerable. This needed to stop, it needed to stop _now_.

Unfortunately there was no clear way for that to be accomplished. There was, however, a piece of information in which to begin her attempts off of.

The buffoon, Arc.

He was in the infirmary, she knew that much from Ruby's babbled plans to go see how he was doing after they had finished classes. But patience had never been Weiss' strongest suit, so she was going _now_.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

Pyrrha was relieved.

And yet… she wasn't.

"Jaune?" Ren asked from beside her, his query directed to the boy lying prone in the hospital bed. "What's wrong?"

They were excused from morning classes to spend some time with returned leader. Nora had been ecstatic and over the moon about his return, even despite the fact that he'd snubbed them and RWBY when they'd tried to rescue him from Nihilus. Granted, he had very good reason for doing so, what with them having absolutely no chance of surviving a direct encounter with the elder Arc.

Ren was pleased too, though his happiness was of a more subdued nature than that of Nora. The small smile he wore on his face told the story, the joy in knowing that the team had come back together.

"Nothing," Jaune answered blankly, empty eyes locked on the ceiling.

Pyrrha was overjoyed to see Jaune returned and Nihilus defeated, that much was beyond question. But looking at Jaune… something was profoundly wrong. The character shift her partner had undergone in the time they had spent with Nihilus was massive; going from the happy and awkward boy she had met prior to initiation to a guilt-ridden man quailing under the weight of his sins.

Then he had died…

And with that death came change; he was something different now. Pyrrha didn't know what had happened to Jaune after she had left, and looking at Jaune now… she wasn't sure her heart could take it. When she left Jaune had been sorrowful but determined. Now… it was like he was just empty. It wasn't any kind of sadness that she could see, but something deeper than despair alone.

"Well I think it's a good thing that nasty Nihilus is gone!" Nora shouted, either oblivious or uncaring that they were meant to be quiet. "Otherwise I would have to break his legs for being a meanie!"

An amusing, if impossible, thought.

"I'm sure you would have, if he was here," Jaune answered distantly, eyes unmoving.

Nora wilted at the lackluster response.

Pyrrha wasn't the only one aware of Jaune's… state. She had given Ren, Nora and RWBY an abridged version of events regarding her time with Nihilus - they were unaware of who exactly Nihilus was, or where he came from - and they were aware, however vaguely, of some of the horrible things Nihilus had done to Jaune. They didn't know about the rings, the girl, the alternate world, but they knew enough to know that Jaune was suffering profoundly.

Even if he didn't exactly show it.

The sight of Jaune like this made her blood boil, the concept that someone did _something_ to her friend, that Nihilus-

A shiver passed through Pyrrha, a profound sense of unease erupting in her gut as a chill fell upon her.

Jaune's eyes shifted to look at Pyrrha, previously vacant blue orbs focussing intently on the champion. There, for the first time since the conversation had begun she could see emotion in his eyes. Contempt perhaps, or maybe regret. It was directed at her, and yet… it wasn't. Jaune was looking at her, but if felt more like he was looking through her rather than _at_ her.

The cold passed, and Jaune's gaze swept away.

Nora leaned closer to him, "Are you sure you're okay, Jaune?" Concern was plain in her voice, concern and empathy. "Is something wrong? You can tell us."

This was the first time Pyrrha had ever heard Nora sound so serious. Granted, it was warranted, but it was still somewhat jarring to hear.

"I'm fine," Jaune said softly, "I'm just… tired. Just tired."

"Well," Ren pushed back into the conversation, "If you want I could make you some-"

The doors the the infirmary slammed open, the unexpected noise killing the conversation abruptly. Weiss marched through the entry way like a storm, her frigid bearing obvious to anyone and everyone looking.

"Arc!" She barked, "I need to speak to you."

Within hardly a moment Ren, Nora and Pyrrha stood from their seats and positioned themselves between their fearless leader and Weiss. "I think not, Weiss," Ren quickly informed her, "Jaune needs time to rest and recover." Went unsaid was the belief that Weiss didn't hold his best interests in mind right now.

Weiss stepped up, either uncaring to the unspoken warning or simply unheeding of it. "This is important. It cannot wait."

"It will have to," Pyrrha replied, "Jaune is in no state-"

"It's okay," the sound of his voice from behind them stopped Pyrrha from speaking. "What do you want, Weiss?"

The three standing members of JNPR shifted to the side just enough to allow Weiss to see Jaune, but not so far as to stop them from being able to intervene if Weiss came any closer.

Pyrrha watched as Weiss' eyes flickered to her and the two others, evidently this was something she wanted to speak to Jaune alone about.

Well too bad for Weiss then, she and the others were staying.

"I would prefer to speak to you about this in private," the proud girl said in a somewhat snappish tone.

"Whatever you can say to him you can say to us as well." Ren interjected.

Weiss sneered for a moment. "This doesn't involve you."

"No," Pyrrha agreed, "It doesn't involve us. But we're staying anyway. Speak now with us here, or you may speak to Jaune privately when he has recovered."

Weiss' sneer faded, a flash of anger passing over her features. "Very well, I will let this go. For now, but I _will_ be back later."

Without an extra word Weiss spun away and left in a huff, her presence like a stormcloud of negativity.

"What crawled up her butt?" Nora asked no one in particular, "She seemed angry."

The three of them sat back down, "She always seems angry, Nora," Ren pointed out, his eyes only briefly flickering to his friend before settling on Jaune once more.

"Angrier than usual then," Nora amended with a mutter.

Ren shook his head. "So, as I was saying Jaune. If you want I could make you some herbal tea? Or perhaps another health drink?"

Nora and Pyrrha winced, the mental image of the flowery water and green sludge unpleasant.

The only response was a soft snore.

Pyrrha's eyes softened as they settled onto the sleeping form of Jaune. The gaunt and thin look on his face was still there, but he looked altogether more at peace right now than she had seen him be since before Nihilus first took them.

She only hoped it would stay that way…

* * *

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

Pyrrha had been reassigned.

With the Fall of Amity, many hunters and trainee hunters had either died or gone missing in the chaos of that day. More than a dozen of which were Beacon students.

Lie Ren, Nora Valkyrie, and Russel Thrush were officially listed as dead. The exact cause of death, as with so many others from that night, is unknown. Whether it be from the White Fang, the Grimm, or… _him_. No bodies were recovered, and thus they were simply classified as KIA.

All very official sounding. But that didn't mean it didn't hurt. She had never been overly close to them… but she still considered them to have been friends, if distantly.

Pyrrha, as with many other young hunters who had lost their team, had been paired with another team.

Three people she had never met before, and never spoken to before. They seemed nice enough, but all were originally from separate teams so no one knew each other - nor did they seem to have any interest in knowing each other. It probably wasn't their fault, given what they had all lost…

Tenne, her new partner, was uninterested in anything. Outside of class he just stayed in their room and cried occasionally. Pyrrha had tried to help… but he didn't want it. Nor did the others care enough to bother trying.

And so life continued on.

Only recently had they managed to put the fires around Forever Fall out; the damages to the city itself were severe, but not profound enough to truly be ruinous. Vale would recover in time, and though things were very strained internationally thanks to Atlas' colossal failure to contain the situation, life would continue onwards.

"Where could he be?"

Currently, Pyrrha was having lunch with RWBY for the first time in… well, first time in a while. Being around the girls had grown awkward and strained for her; RWBY was obsessed, their constant raving and furious effort was somewhat awkward for Pyrrha.

All they ever spoke about anymore was Jaune. Where to find him, where he could have gone, how to capture him, how to hurt him…

They believed he was guilty.

Everyone believed he was guilty.

Everyone except Pyrrha, apparently.

'The Lord of Hunger' was what the media was calling him. The pretentious moniker served a dual purpose though - highlighting that he was a monster, and also being a thin attempt to veil his history as a hunter-in-training. All to better allow people to cling to the safety blanket of ignorance and help prevent panic.

It was disgusting, but it was also necessary. Vale was the weakest it had been since the end of the Great War, and it couldn't survive if negativity levels grew high enough for another Grimm incursion.

So they lied, lied and demonised Jaune, claiming him to have worked with the mysterious woman who had attacked Ozpin at Beacon, and together the two being responsible for the entire nightmare.

But that wasn't right. Pyrrha knew Jaune, he was her best friend. He would _never_ willingly do the things that were being attributed to him. He'd rather die first.

And yet…

"Getting angry won't help, Yang," Ruby ordered. "We need calm heads, so when we find him we can hurt him without risking ourselves."

And yet for all Pyrrha's certainty, she knew that the entire world was arrayed against her friend right now.

She just hoped that he was okay…

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

Ozpin stared at the book, his gaze level and thoughtful.

"What is it, Ozpin?" Goodwitch asked from the other side of the room.

Ozpin's eyes never left the book. "I have found something, Glynda. Come see."

Ozpin was not a man prone to hatred. But he hated this particular task, and with good reason too. The death of the last remaining member of the alternate RWBY was regrettable, but if young Mister Arc was to be believed then it was through the sacrifice of Miss Rose that the Lord of Hunger was defeated.

But in the end, she died. They all died. And the room within Beacon that Ozpin had arranged for them to stay in had to be cleared out of any and all personal possessions that the older team may have left here. Not that there were many of course, as it was mostly things acquired since their arrival here…

And yet, looking at the tome before him, Ozpin knew that he'd found something important.

"What… is that?" Glynda questioned as she drew up beside him, green eyes locking onto the book. "Why is it in a…?"

And indeed, it wasn't just a book. In a broken but clear plastic container, the type for containing biological contaminants, was the book. The container itself looked as though it survived a war, with cracks and chips breaking the seal as well as generally giving it a mangled look.

 _Jaune's book._

The label on the top was telling, as difficult as it was to read. More worryingly was the fact that it was in _his_ handwriting. Ozpin himself had never seen this before, let alone wrote that label, so that could only mean that his alternate counterpart had written this.

It couldn't have meant the Jaune Ozpin knew, the one currently in the infirmary. As far as he was aware, the only time young Mister Arc had met any of the alternate RWBY was when Miss Rose killed him. So that meant that the book belongs, or belonged to, Nihilus.

That would beggar the question as to how the book came into the possession of RWBY and the alternate Ozpin. Perhaps this was something taken from Nihilus when he was captured? Or perhaps it was taken at an earlier point.

Although, the book wasn't in good condition; looking half-charred from fire and half-decayed by water, it seemed to be in dire straits - but beyond that it appeared a normal, if horribly damaged, book.

But it wasn't.

Ozpin peered at the book curiously. There was something within it, an aura that looked - to his aura sight anyway - as though someone had poured a soul into the book. RWBY had claimed Nihilus to be a master user of aura, so could he have done this? If so, why?

"Do you see it?" Ozpin questioned his assistant. "What is within it?"

"Is that…" Glynda gazed at the book, "aura? How could it possibly have aura?

"Perhaps this warrants further investigation," Ozpin murmured as he pulled the lid from the container, the plastic giving way easily under Ozpin's might.

The Headmaster's fingers strayed towards the book.

"Sir, perhaps it would be best if we didn't do anything just yet," Goodwitch cautioned, "We don't know what exactly this is."

But Ozpin wasn't as worried. The book had aura within it. But the aura felt… melancholy? Sad? Like it was remembering something, or perhaps like it was regretting something. Not anticipation, not as though it were a trap waiting to be sprung. It was emotion. An emotion trapped within a book…

"Fear not, Glynda. I suspect there is much we could learn from this," Ozpin reassured his friend.

Ozpin touched the book.

All at once, it felt as though he was standing in the heart of a star, but it did not burn him. The heat was all-encompassing and all-consuming, but it felt like standing in the sun on a hot day, or perhaps like it was greeting an old friend not seen in years.

Then a voice came to him. So similar to that of Jaune Arc, and yet… it sounded older. Quieter, in a more jaded way.

" _..._ _a_ _nd then father, it was as though the dream came crashing down around me. You taught me that evil is just a word, that under the skin it is simple pain. But I know now that innocence is chrysalis… a phase designed to end. For you, mercy was victory. You sacrificed, you endured, and when given the chance you forgave... always."_

"Ozpin?" Glynda's voice cut through the narration.

"Hold a moment, Glynda," Ozpin commanded, his aura intent upon the book.

" _When I was young, I dreamed and desired. But for all my want of the life of a hunter, you shot me down. Didn't you want me to be like you? I was so sure I could save everyone… But I regret. I regret more than ever… My semblance is a curse. Would that I could never have unlocked it._

 _For me, the dream of being a hunter is over… and in waking, I am alone. I have looked into the heart of the world, and I am afraid. Afraid of all that I have seen, all that I could see… the world is about to change._

 _Perhaps there is no name for what I am, but I know the world is about to change. I had thought that I would be a defender, a protector… yet, as you and I sat in the dark together, I wondered if even I could be redeemed._

 _But father… I am afraid."_

Ah…

That was definitely Nihilus, though… hearing that, Ozpin couldn't help but wonder about what RWBY had said about their fallen enemy. They claimed that he'd gone insane the moment his semblance activated. And yet the 'book' spoke of the semblance in past tense…

Something wasn't right. Maybe there was more to the story of Nihilus than he had previously thought. Though thinking that now was of little point, what with all the people he could gather the relevant information from being dead.

Or perhaps not? Young Mr. Arc had told them the tale of his time with the dark iteration of himself; the information about the rings in particular was interesting. An emotion within a ring, just as the book was a captured emotion. Perhaps the rings that were now bound to young Jaune held a story too, something to be unraveled if one looked closely enough.

Perhaps…

* * *

1237

* * *

 **A/N**

 **This chapter was a bit of a cool down from the clusterfuck of the last couple, but no less important for all that has happened and all that will happen. Think of this as setting the stage for what comes next.**

 **Also, I know it has come up before (extremely briefly), but now we finally get to see the original Violet Arc - Jaune's eldest** _ **sister**_ **, and namesake of the Violet seen in other chapters. I do enjoy looking forward to writing out her final fate…**

 **As for Weiss - please bear in mind that this is only two weeks after initiation, she is still going to be rather stuck up for the time being.**

 **All that being said, let's look at the reviews:**

 **TalonIbnLaAhad:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Alter-Weiss is dead, of that there is no doubt, but what made her who she was still lingers - her soul was shattered, not completely destroyed. Weiss, both of them, will be major parts of the story to come.**

 **As for the name - try thinking more along the lines of anima and exspiravit (these aren't it exactly). I studied Latin in high school, so I know a little here and there. I do, however, have a tendency to bastardise Latin and English words together, so I'd keep that in mind if you keep trying to nut out the name.**

 **Indeed, the events of the Fall of Amity are winding down - and with it comes the cruel reminder that the world is a heartless and cold place. The next part of Jaune's story will be character building for him, as it is mostly him coming to terms with his new lot in life and how the world views him (yes, what you said made sense). All eyes are on him now, including those of the other Lords and that of Salem.**

 **As for whether another Nihilus can be prevented... well, Jaune won't exactly be without people watching him, especially knowing what he could eventually become. The real problem, as you said, is that nobody's exactly sure how Nihilus became what he was - even the Alter-RWBY only had the vaguest of ideas on how it happened specifically - shown by their horrible misinterpretation way back in chapter two.**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Not quite 'has' but is 'getting'. This is indeed an unintended effect of how Nihilus killed Noir-Weiss (love that name), though the effect won't exactly be precise.**

 _ **"It was almost beautiful, in a terrible, sad way. Cracks splintered and coursed over the ethereal light, and a moment later it broke apart - hundreds and thousands glittering pinpricks of light just… fading.**_

 _ **Even Nihilus stared in shocked silence at what he had just done, his sickly yellow eyes wide open with disgusted horror.**_

 _ **'He's killed her.'**_

 _ **Pyrrha again. But Jaune didn't see why she sounded so disgusted or why Nihilus looked so horrified - Weiss had been dead anyway, what made this any different?**_

 ** _'It's different because he didn't just kill her!" Pyrrha's voice snapped, 'Jaune just ruined her. There will be no afterlife for Weiss Schnee; what remains will be trapped in the space in-between forever.'"_** **\- chapter 27.**

 **Weiss will only get parts, not the full picture. Noir-Weiss is dead, of that make no mistake, but who she was - what she was, that still remains. As for the how... you'll see.**

 **REALLY12:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **There are a few different ways to answer that question.**

 **In the past? Yes, obviously.**

 **In the present? Harder, considering he wasn't technically alive anyway - just a 'ghost' possessing a body. I will say this, however, aside from the lack of a physical body to inhabit nothing has changed for Nihilus.**

 ** _"Glynda shivered, a silent chill settling onto her for a moment._**

 _ **Dull blue eyes sharpened for a moment and settled onto her, moving for the first time since the conversation had begun. Jaune Arc stared at her, something akin to hatred or perhaps sorrow colouring his eyes for a moment before he looked away.**_

 ** _What had that been?"_ ****\- Chapter 32.**

 **N8iV:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Indeed, having the killer of your wife (yes) and daughter speak to you on a weekly basis is kinda sucky. The worst part is that Ruby legitimately believes she's doing it to be kind by keeping him company and letting him know she's sorry. Jaune, quite reasonably I feel, does not see it this way - to him it is a massively cruel thing to do, that she is mocking him over his failures.**

 **A fan:**

 **Thanks for reviewing, and your support!**

 **Yeah, that was basically what I thought about the comments too, though I… tempered it a little. I greatly appreciate your kind words about me and my writing, I don't think I'm too special - but I really am thankful of the nice things you said.**

 **In regards to one-shots, I wouldn't actually be too averse to them. The main problem currently is that I'm extremely busy and barely have enough time for my morning coffee (for everyone else's protection of course…). But I do plan on doing one-shots in the future, when things are less busy for me.**

 **Thanks again for the kind words.**

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading, and remember to leave a review!**


	34. Elegy

Wraith

Chapter Thirty Four

Beta: Smithrooks

Elegy

 **Dorme, many years ago…**

 _ **Four months following the Fall of Amity.**_

Violet Arc was a woman of many things.

Patience… was not one of them.

"Fuck off!" She howled in the general direction of the youngest twins in the house. "I don't want to hear it!"

She could also be accused of being somewhat of a potty mouth when she was angry.

They were all-

Violet forced her anger back. Her temper still hovered, but she fought it until it was a distant thing.

They were all wrong. Horribly wrong.

Violet was the only one… Violet was the only one that didn't think he'd done it.

Jaune had always been a bit useless, never quite good at anything he tried his hand at. Over time, there had been things he'd come to excel at due to rigorous practice - like dancing. Jaune was Lord of the Dance, after all.

But now apparently he was the lord of other things. That _wretched_ nickname that the people on the news kept calling him: The Lord of Hunger. As though that _meant_ something. As though that told the story of who Jaune _was_ , who he _is_.

Wherever he is…

"Now, now, Violet…" her father murmured, voice soft as he approached the storm of her emotions. "They never really got on with him."

Violet felt an immediate urge to slap John.

Unfortunately, she was fully aware that her father had aura - and thus she was more likely to break her hand on his face rather than cause any actual damage to him.

It didn't stop her from glaring at him evilly though.

It was true though. The other Arc girls had loved Jaune as a brother, but beyond that there had been no other reason. It was the kind of affection and comfort based mostly on familiarity. That wasn't necessarily a good thing, as they liked to describe it as 'getting used to a disease'.

All because Jaune was a clumsy idiot at times. Although it probably didn't help that he'd gone and run away during the dead of night and stolen their father's sword so he could go 'be a hero'.

Violet had never seen it that way though. Jaune was her baby brother, 'baby' still applying despite the fact that the little rotter had grown like a weed and was taller than her.

Violet had been more like a mother to him than their actual mother. And as sad as that was, it was the truth. Jaune Arc may be a clumsy idiot at times, but he was _her_ clumsy idiot.

The others… they thought that Jaune really did those awful things on the television. That, while it may have been unintentional, it was still him behind it all. Violet couldn't accept that. She just couldn't. Jaune would _never_ do something so vile, he'd rather throw himself off a cliff.

"Why can't they see that he couldn't have been responsible?" Violet questioned quietly, flicking her blonde hair to the side as she did.

John Arc didn't say anything.

He was like that these days. Whenever the topic of Jaune came up, John would go from being her usual loving father to being quiet and withdrawn. The barest mention of his name brought the elder man into silence.

 _He knows something_. The thought crept up on her, coiling like a snake around her thoughts. It wasn't a new suspicion either, not with the way that John had been acting. John had been in Vale, and according to the messages he'd sent Violet at the time he'd also been in regular contact with Jaune. Perhaps not regular enough for Violet's tastes - she didn't trust Jaune not to attempt surviving off chicken nuggets and succumb to scurvy - but enough so to assure her that her baby brother hadn't died.

But John had been in a bad way when he made it home; his arm _very_ broken, ribs cracked… such injuries weren't uncommon in the life of a hunter, but the fact that John fled the city rather than attempt to save anyone, or say, Jaune, was telling of deceit.

"Well," John said awkwardly, "I'll be going for another walk today. Smell the roses and all that."

The walks… it had something to do with those. Every other day he would go for a 'walk' and not come back for hours - and despite how sneaky he thought he was being, Violet noticed the books. He'd take books with him… but he wouldn't bring them back.

Adding to the suspicion was the weather - it was winter now, and the man felt the need to go for a stroll in the snow? John Arc was a creature of habit, and habit dictated that he didn't, and never had, liked the cold.

He was doing _something_.

"Okay," Violet muttered, scheme unfolding in her mind.

It was simple, really. If Violet wanted to know where her father was going, then all she had to do was follow him.

Hopefully it would lead somewhere, perhaps even show her what he was hiding. Some hint as to what really happened with Jaune.

Violet could only hope.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

"Hey, Jaune!"

" _Before he was imprisoned, Jaune was… still Jaune; too weak to fight against his own power, but still questionably sane._ _"_

Weiss didn't open her eyes at Yang's greeting, the sound of her own voice unheard by everyone except for herself. It just wouldn't stop… the voices were endless.

Pyrrha, Ren and Nora had hovered around Jaune like hawks yesterday after Weiss had been driven off, and despite Weiss' best efforts she hadn't been able to think of a way to get rid of Arc's teammates.

And so she had waited.

The plan had been to sneak in during the early hours of the morning to interrogate the boy; alas, Ruby was like a bloodhound when she felt something was wrong. And for some reason the fool girl was hovering around Weiss like a bee over honey.

"Hello, girls."

Jaune's voice was flat and distant.

Why Ruby had demanded that they all go to see Jaune was absolutely beyond Weiss. They didn't have classes today, so logically Ruby and Yang at least should do their usual thing and just sleep until the crack of noon. But no… the damn leader was being a pain, demanding that they go see Jaune and make sure he was okay.

Weiss was well aware that was only half the reason, and given that Ruby was a terrible liar Weiss would bet money that Blake and Yang knew too - they were all just polite enough not to point it out.

Ruby really wanted to know why Jaune had snubbed them when they'd tried to save him, why he had shouted for them all to leave, and why Ozpin had lied about how Nihilus died.

There was a moment of silence. The only noise to break it was the quiet noise of the five different breathing patterns from the assembled hunters.

"So, Jaune…" Ruby hedged awkwardly, "How've you been?"

 _"You're insane, sitting in silence for years - that's enough to drive anyone mad. But it's worse than that - driven mad by your own flesh. The_ _ **stink**_ _of humanity. You hate your own existence!"_

Weiss ignored it. She ignored how pained the older version of her own voice sounded, ignored how it rang like an accusation in her mind.

"I'm okay, Ruby."

Blessed silence.

"That's good!" the young leader exclaimed, "So, ah, Jaune… I've been meaning to ask… why didn't you come with us back when we came to save you?

 _"No, that monster used to be Jaune Arc. The boy behind the monster is long dead."_

Weiss ignored it. It wasn't real. It was all an illusion, something that Arc had done to her. A semblance, perhaps. She would get her answers tonight. After the others were asleep, Weiss would sneak back in and finally solve this damnable problem.

Jaune was silent, his gaze cast distantly away from the four girls. What was he thinking? Why take so long to answer a simple question? It was easy. Weiss knew he'd made the right decision in telling them to leave, but his reasoning behind the decision…? That remained to be seen.

"You all would have died," Jaune said eventually.

Weiss agreed. Nihilus really was above them.

"No!" Ruby denied immediately, "we could have gotten you out of there, and if it really got bad we could have fought."

" _Damn him! He's killed her! He's killed my sister! Winter, I'm so sorry, I'll fix this. I'll fix all of this…"_

A throb of pain lanced through Weiss' skull, but it went ignored just as the mad voice did. She wouldn't listen to these lies.

"Nihilus would have killed you," Jaune said plainly, "He would have killed you with ease and _laughed_ while he did it. None of you would have had any chance against him at all."

"Oh?" Blake interjected just as Ruby opened her mouth to protest, "That being the case, how did he die?"

" _Can't you see, Weiss? If only we'd helped him instead of hunted him… It didn't need to be this way."_

Weiss scrunched her eyes shut, utterly ignoring what the wretched thing was saying to her in Blake's voice.

Jaune was silent. Weiss opened her eyes to stare at him - this is the question she was most interested in hearing the answer to. Officially, the unknown huntress had been the one to kill him, but that couldn't be true since they'd seen her die. So logically the only way Nihilus could have died was if Jaune himself did the deed.

Which was impossible, of course.

"He…" Jaune whispered eventually, "killed himself."

What?! Why?! What possible reason could that beast have had to off himself?

"Now please," Jaune continued, his voice growing uncharacteristically firm, "I need some time alone."

A dismissal if there ever was one, and Weiss was more than happy to take it. Just sitting in this buffoon's presence and not stabbing him for whatever he was doing to her was a challenge. She would come back later and question him, demand answers and a cessation of whatever the hell he was doing to her.

"But-" Ruby began,

" _I killed a little girl… it was only meant to be Pyrrha! Ironwood lied to us! I… oh Gods… what have I done?!"_

Ignore it.

"That's enough, Ruby," Weiss barked, "let's leave him for now."

For now...

* * *

 **Abandoned mineshaft, many years ago…**

 _ **Four months following the Fall of Amity.**_

Jaune jerked awake from his nightmare, the cold, guilt and _hunger_ waking him.

It was strange, the things loneliness could do to a person.

Jaune sat in the dark, his hands gripping over the fabric of the blanket he'd come to appreciate.

It was one of the few things he could really appreciate at all times, and one of his few comforts within the deep darkness of the abandoned mine. Other comforts were few and far between - not that he deserved them. Jaune was well aware that he was the worst kind of scum in the world, too busy cowering in the dark to face the punishment for his crimes.

But, perhaps as some cosmic joke, the more terrible aspects of his existence were relatively constant. There was always a constant mountain of well-deserved guilt eating away at him, gnawing at whatever positive emotions he had left. Additionally, there was the hunger… it was endless, unyielding and unrelenting. It never ended, and despite all Jaune's efforts to the contrary he found that the only way to sate himself was by gorging himself on the souls of others. Plants and animals were a temporary satisfaction, but they were like looking and smelling a meal rather than actually eating it.

Of course his father had tried to help; the man had brought all sorts of canned food and other bits and pieces down in an attempt to find other ways to make it all stop. That had amounted to precisely nothing - it all tasted like ash, and it made Jaune feel violently sick.

Although it was still an improvement from what pot-noodles usually tasted like. Not much of an achievement, but amusing nonetheless.

To add to the joys of life, winter had set in about a month ago, and with it had come the snows common to the Valean highlands. Nothing like the blizzards and snowstorms of Atlas, but still enough to chill a person to the bone if they weren't careful.

Jaune shivered.

It was cold in the mineshaft. Not as cold as outside, but still enough for thin frost to form on the stone and for him to feel the depressing absence of warmth.

But Jaune was a Dust mage, so he had a few little tricks to keep himself going.

Jaune belched, a gust of fire escaping his mouth as he did so.

Dust was handy for more than just killing Grimm after all.

But getting Dust was hard for him now - the only Dust he had was whatever his father could scrape together and whatever Jaune had left on his person after… after… well, whatever he'd had on him when _it_ happened. The problem of getting more fell to the natural curiosity of people; if John shelled out and bought a tonne of Dust and then had it suddenly disappear… well, people would ask questions.

And they couldn't afford that.

So that left Jaune having to ration his meagre supplies. He had been faced with the choice of spending five, maybe ten minutes in comfortably balmy heat one might find on a summer's day and then promptly freeze to death after that. Or he could spend his days and nights in extreme discomfort as he kept the place above freezing temperature just _barely_.

What a wonderful world he lived in.

But back to the thought of loneliness! Jaune's mind had a strange way of wandering now, as he had no real way to pass the time beyond just sitting and thinking about stuff. And as truly riveting as that was, after about two months he'd basically run out of stuff to ponder.

The only thing that kept him from going mad was the visits his father paid him. The time the two of them would spend sitting in the dark just talking or having the elder Arc read to him were now Jaune's most treasured waking moments.

And yet… life was awful now.

He didn't want to wake up, because despite the nightmare he'd found himself in moments ago he was having a much better time being asleep. And that was really sad… like a reverse nightmare. Because being awake was much worse. The knowledge and horror of what he'd done only attacked him sometimes in dreams, but when he was awake it ate away at him constantly.

But he was awake now, and with said wakefulness he could go back to his second favourite way to pass the time.

With nothing else to do, Jaune peered at the world around him.

Aura sight was a wonderful and awful thing sometimes. Awful in the sense that it gave just the slightest hint at what it might be like to actually see things once again, and wonderful because it allowed him some semblance of connection to the outside world.

And when Jaune focussed, he could see very far indeed.

First, Jaune let his mind's eye flow over to the village, his sight poring over his family and taking them in for everything they were. Angry, sad, upset, melancholy… he saw all these things. In his mind, Jaune wandered from room to room of that big old house, his presence unseen and unfelt.

It was almost as though he was really there; almost as though he could feel his feet padding on the worn carpet, nearly like he could smell the perfume of his sisters, trick himself into thinking that just for a moment he was actually there again.

But he wasn't. Jaune sat, alone, in the deep dark cave with only the cold for company.

Jaune reached further, his aura sight stretching over as many miles and mountains and rivers as he could force it to until he found the thing he was looking for: Beacon.

The school was like an old friend, so drenched was it in the aura of others that Jaune could almost imagine the building having a soul of its own. His perception of the place wasn't as fine as it otherwise could be if he looked at something closer, but credit where credit was due, Jaune was looking at something that was easily over three hundred kilometres away from.

The multitude of souls within were as he remembered them from his last look at the school. The nervous energy that had been hovering around the building since… well, since _it_ happened, was unwelcome but familiar to see.

It was hard, but Jaune let his aura stretch out and flow over the school - perhaps if he actually forced it he may be able to stretch his semblance that far, not that he would do that - and once again Jaune walked the corridors.

It was almost as though he were a ghost, the way he projected his spirit into the halls of the school. Utterly invisible and intangible, Jaune passed through the throngs of students, some he knew and some he did not. Jaune felt some vague impression of nostalgia, and perhaps even some semblance of peace.

But when he looked deeper into the myriad of souls within the school, Jaune couldn't help but feel the mountain of guilt pile upon his shoulders. Each and every soul there was tarnished by sorrow and pain, suffering etched into their very beings from the chaos that had occurred a few short months ago. Wounds, perhaps, but not of the physical nature. Like an imprint of something terrible still shadowing them wherever they went.

His own team was gone, Cardin, Sky and Dove lost within Jaune himself… and yet, as Jaune peered at Beacon he couldn't help but stare at RWBY and Pyrrha longingly.

He had no right. He was a monster, a beast responsible for the deaths of thousands… but Jaune was lonely. He longed to be among friends, he dreamed of a time when he could have easily spoken to RWBY or Pyrrha whenever the urge struck him.

But when he looked at them now… RWBY, particularly the sisters, were drowning in negativity. Their souls were drenched in a rotten mixture of hatred and despair. Blake and Weiss weren't quite as extreme - but the abyss of anger was still there, the sorrow and shame eating away at them like a cancer.

It didn't take a genius to work out why they felt this way.

All their hatred, all their anger and sadness… it was all because of him. What he did, what he could do… and the fact that he was alive and free.

The darkness that his friends were drowning in wasn't absolute, however. And for that alone Jaune felt like crying tears of relief. Pyrrha's soul was… shadowed, for want of a better word. Something more akin to melancholy rather than outright sorrow, or perhaps it was concern? She was still sad, immeasurably so, but it was coloured but something else, something altogether kinder in nature.

Jaune pulled his senses backwards, his perception of Beacon fading away as his sight became more focussed. Once again his thoughts settled upon the icy cave he was now forced to call 'home'.

The reason for this act was simple, one of the only joys Jaune could find in the world coming to keep him sane. John Arc edged into the top of the mine, and with him Jaune spied new books.

Ah… it was the simple things that kept Jaune going these days.

John stepped deeper into the mine, Jaune using his absurd senses to allow him to 'walk beside' his father. Unseen and unfelt, perhaps more like a phantom than anything else, but still comforting to Jaune.

It was odd, the way John's soul slipped through the world. Jaune's semblance ate all things with even the slightest hint of aura, and yet when it washed over his father it just… passed over him. It was as though something was stopping him, like something was keeping the poisonous nature of the ability from consuming.

Not that Jaune was complaining. The fact that he hadn't brutally murdered his father was a good thing, excellent even. Jaune's curiosity on the matter was more related to seeing if there was a way to extend this immunity to others, to see if he could cure himself of this curse by curing everyone else rather than himself.

A roundabout solution perhaps, but if it worked faster than what he was currently working on…

Two minutes.

Four months of constant effort and determination, and the reward was two minutes.

That was to say, Jaune could hold his semblance back for two minutes before it felt like his head and heart were going to explode. Certainly an improvement from the unimpressive second or two he could have held it back before, but it wasn't _enough_. Would that Jaune could remove it entirely, rid himself of the curse. But Jaune knew such a thing wasn't possible, not now and likely not ever.

"Are you brooding again?"

Gentle and distant warmth punctuated the words, John Arc sliding up beside his son in the deep dark of the mine. Jaune huddled closer to the warmth - a small oil lantern John had bought some time earlier - with a small grin spreading over his cracked lips. "I don't brood, I ponder. You're just jealous because-"

Attention shifted, Jaune's omnipresent gaze latching onto the new soul that entered his sight.

"Jaune?" John questioned worriedly.

Jaune slammed his will down on his semblance, the tidal wave of power just edging to the surface as Jaune ground everything to a stop. He wouldn't allow it, he wouldn't allow her to come near and end up like all the others.

Violet's soul stepped into the mine, his eldest sister slowly following the steps their father had taken.

"Dad!" Jaune gasped, the monolithic struggle to keep his semblance at bay already wearing on him, "Violet followed you! She's in the mine!"

The way John's soul flickered in panic was delicious, and terribly tempting despite its inaccessibility to Jaune.

 _Hungry._

 _NO!_ Jaune's will clashed against his soul, headache oozing into his mind. He was the master of his semblance, not the other way around. He would _not_ allow it to seep into the world when someone he loved was in danger.

"What!?" John cried, "How!?"

Jaune shoved his father towards the path upwards, entirely thankful he wasn't allowing the thousands of souls boost his strength, "It doesn't matter! Go stop her!"

John didn't hesitate, his legs carrying him out of the deep dark of the lowest depths as he raced towards his daughter.

And Jaune too raced with him, not in body but with his soul instead. Unseen and unfelt perhaps, but there nonetheless.

 _Hungry!_

The white-grey of aura that was John slammed into Violet, and perhaps words were spoken, but they were lost on Jaune. Aura sight had no bearing on sound, and so whatever was said meant nothing to him.

Both souls were agitated. Jaune saw and felt this as he observed them, silently begging his father to get Violet away as quickly as possible. He couldn't hold his semblance back much longer…

Something flickered through Violet's soul, vindication mixed with urgency and just a dash of anger.

 _Hungry!_

John tried to stop her, he really did. But Violet, despite having no hunter training whatsoever, slammed into him and past the surprised man. Realistically, John could have easily caught and contained her - but John was a hunter that had spent his entire life learning how to viciously murder the bane to humanity; so he could certainly stop her, just not painlessly.

Violet drew closer, and despite Jaune's better judgement he couldn't help but feel a surge of elation.

 _Hungry!_

Though the elation was utterly overshadowed by the gripping terror that clawed at his soul. He already had to live with the unending guilt of being a mass murderer, he didn't think he could bear adding fratricide to the list of his crimes.

"NO!"

The voice of John rang through the cave, the sound of footsteps pounding ever closer as the two other Arcs came near.

"JAUNE!"

 _Hungry. Hungry. Hungry!_

Jaune wouldn't allow it! He couldn't allow the murder, not with someone like her. Never. He would never give in.

Dust was marvellous, potential energy taken form as crystals. Thankfully, Jaune had more than just fire Dust left from the tournament, not much… but hopefully enough for this.

 _Hungry!_

Earth Dust responded to his will, the nature of the stone around him shifting in the face of his demand. A solid wall of granite sprouted at the entrance to Jaune's little nook; the wall would do little to stop Jaune's semblance, but it may grant John enough time to get her out of here.

Weak and untrained fists pounded against the stone, "Jaune!" she cried, "I know that's you!"

Her soul looked so tempting, as though it were a roast and Jaune were a starving man. The way the light danced and flickered in his sight was looked utterly delicious…

 _HUNGRY!_

Jaune cradled his head in his hands, a wordless scream of frustration leaving him. He would _not_.

But it hurt, it hurt so badly just to look at her...

The light of Violet's soul was perhaps closer to blue in nature than purple, though it could really go either way. Her name was derived from the colour of her eyes - something which, even after all the time they'd spent apart, Jaune could remember with crystal-clear clarity. Eyes of the most exquisite and royal violet.

And it looked _delicious_.

All at once Jaune felt his control snap, the overwhelming desire rushing through him in an instant as his semblance washed outwards and over his sister.

Overwhelming despair speared through Jaune. This was it. He'd damned his sister.

Nothing happened.

"Open up!" the somehow-still-alive sister shouted, her hands pounding on the wall. "Is this any way to treat your sister?!"

Jaune didn't move for a moment, his mind's eye staring blankly at the soul of his sister, utterly uncomprehending of what was happening. His semblance was active, the parasitic force eating away at everything… and yet, Violet was fine. Just like with their father, it seemed that Violet was immune.

Well, that only called for one thing really.

With the barest exertion of will, the stone wall crumbled into powder.

Jaune leapt through the air, arms outstretched and maimed face split into a hideous grin. "Violet!"

The tackle worked, and for the first time in months Jaune hugged his sister.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

Weiss poked her finger into the boy's side aggressively. "Wake up!" she hissed quietly, "I need to speak to you, Arc."

It had been a simple matter to sneak into the infirmary after visiting hours. The real hassle had been sneaking past Ruby - the damn girl was still watching her like a hawk, trying to see if something was wrong. But that was easily resolved by telling her that Weiss was going off to do some SDC clerical work.

An utter lie of course, as such things were all handled at the Schnee headquarters in Atlas. But the mention of actual work was enough to ward Ruby away, at least for the time being.

Weiss needed to speak to Arc in private. The voices… they wouldn't stop. There'd been nothing like the 'vision' she'd had the first night, but the sound of voices speaking randomly in her mind wasn't pleasant. Especially given that most of the things the voices said related to the boy she was about to interrogate. Question. She meant question.

"Weiss?" his voice was soft, "Why are you here?"

The real question lay in how to go about this. Obviously this was something Arc had done, a semblance perhaps? But how?

"What did you do to me?" Weiss demanded in a harsh whisper, settling for the direct approach.

Jaune blinked up at her from his position on the hospital bed, blue eyes looking at her dully. "I didn't do anything to you."

Liar. He had to have done something, otherwise this wouldn't be happening to her. "Stop lying. Tell me why I'm hearing things!"

Jaune tilted his head to the side, an honestly confused look seeping into his features. "Hearing things? What kind of things?"

The fool, of course he knew. He was just playing dumb and pretending not to know about the voices-

Wait…

The sounds of the night crawled through perception; the gentle ambience of electricity and the hum of crickets… but none of the dreaded voices that had plagued Weiss.

Had he done something else? Some new effect? Or perhaps some new approach?

Or… maybe it actually just wasn't him?

The original 'vision' aside, all the other instances of hearing voices had been prompted by something else - almost exclusively when someone was talking. One of her teammates would say something and then another voice would say something else and then another teammate would ask why she was spaced out, then another voice would say something…

It was maddening, but it also made some twisted sense. Other people served as a prompt for the voices, and yet upon hearing Jaune speak there was nothing. No sound, no voice, no insanity…

But why? Why hadn't he triggered them as well? The overwhelming majority of the voices said things regarding Jaune himself, so would he not serve as a stronger catalyst than usual?

No… no! It had been like this earlier too! When she and the girls had visited him he hadn't spurred on any of the voices then either! So maybe… something. This was important, but the answers behind it all weren't forthcoming.

"Weiss?"

The voice - the tangible, spoken voice from a person - broke through her thoughts. "You…" Weiss hedged after a moment of further silence, "You really don't know what I'm talking about?"

Jaune's eyes peered at her with mild apathy. "No. Perhaps this is something to speak to a doctor about."

Hell no, they'd just think she was crazy. The mere thought of it was enough to send a shiver down Weiss' spine - the negative backlash would reach more than her, the shame would affect the SDC, Winter, perhaps even cause people to lose trust in some elements of Atlas itself; the Schnee name couldn't survive it.

"No!" Weiss hissed, previous anger diminished, "but do you… do you ever hear… things? Things speaking about you."

A sudden chill passed through Weiss, so intense that she shivered to the bone. It was as though for just the barest moment she had stepped into a blizzard.

Jaune's eyes sharpened into a hateful glare - but even though his gaze was on her, it felt more as though he was looking past her rather than at her. "Leave!" his voice was like steel.

The cold passed and warmth flooded back to Weiss. "W-what?" she asked, confused, "Why?"

The expression of loathing on Jaune's face lessened, but his eyes never left Weiss. It looked… like he was waiting for something, searching perhaps. "I wasn't speaking to you, Weiss."

The information hit her like a hammer. He heard things too? The same way she did? Obviously he wasn't the cause then, but then who was? "You hear them too?" Weiss whispered, a knot of tension bleeding from her. She wasn't alone.

Jaune considered her for a moment, shadowed eyes tumbling through things unseen to Weiss. "You…" Jaune shook his head, "it's something the Lord of Hunger did to me. Maybe he infected you when you and the others tried to get me?"

Weiss snarled. Of course. It just had to be that. It made sense, and Arc would know since he spent the most time around that lunatic. "Tell me," Weiss demanded, just a shade of desperation seeping into her voice, "how do I make it stop?"

Jaune's eyes looked dead. No emotion, just… empty. "It never stops. The rage of Nihilus will never die."

And with just those few words, Weiss felt as though she'd taken a knife to the heart.

* * *

1237

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Hints all over the place for this chapter. Seriously, like everything is hinting at something else…**

 **I don't really have much to say so we'll just go straight onto the reviews!  
**

 **TalonIbnLaAhad:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Close, very close. Especially with the Animus Mors idea... Don't feel bad for enjoying this as much as the story itself, I personally find it quite refreshing to see a reader this into something I have written.**

 **Jaune is subject to his hunger, but bear in mind that the information Alter-RWBY gave Ozpin about Jaune way back in the second chapter is merely what they believed to be true - not what is**

 _ **actually**_ **true. Nihilus' literal madness comes... later. But at least for now there is some comfort to be found in family for him. John, among others (you'll see), are immune to Jaune's semblance - though this is not as positive as it first may seem.**

 **The Arc family will be subject to hatred for some time, but if you recall how Jaune and Pyrrha first saw the Dorme of Nihilus' world... well, the results speak for themselves. Violet, the sister, will be as you say. But because I like you I'll give a hint - her fate? It is both better and far worse than that of her brother. And indeed Jaune will suffer - both versions of him, but true tragedy is only achieved when one has gained some measure of happiness first.**

 **Take care.**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Jaune did indeed spend quite a bit of time within the mine shaft - longer than he ever spent at Beacon. As for whether he came back... no, not as such. Don't feel bad for getting it wrong, I know I tend to write in an obfuscating manner at times.**

 **Maybe because the only time he returned was with Jaune and Pyrrha after he killed Yang in the earlier chapters (is this what You were originally referring to? If yes, sorry) - prior to that he had never been back.**

 **Tondori:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **I appreciate the honest and polite criticism, much nicer than the hateful PM's I get every now and then.**

 **You are completely correct in saying that in canon Jaune's motivated is more related to his family rather than being a hero. That said, however, is that the goals aren't mutually exclusive, and to Jaune (pre volume 3 Jaune anyway) the two are likely the same thing - meaning if he becomes a powerful hunter/hero then he will have lived up to his family ideal. I like to think of it as just looking at the same thing from a different angle.**

 **For Pyrrha her motivation would certainly stem from the 'destiny' that she clings to, as well as whatever competitive edge she has to her personality (one does not become a champion through passivity). Ruby on the other hand is plain and simple - it's the 'right' thing to do. The alternate version of her comes to see things in a slightly different light, though the overarching goal is generally the same.**

 **Canon Jaune irritated me too, but that isn't actually saying much considering that I don't actually like** _ **anyone**_ **on RWBY or JNPR. I like the** _ **world**_ **of RWBY, but the characters… less so. Maybe Qrow… and perhaps Adam if he was fleshed out a little more.**

 **Thanks again for your honest critique! If you ever have any other concerns or comments don't be shy in letting me know!**

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading, and don't forget to leave a review!**


	35. Greeds Want

Wraith

Chapter Thirty Five

Beta: Smithrooks

Greeds Want

 **Grimmlands, many years ago…**

 _ **One year after the Fall of Amity**_ **.**

Salem swept into the room like a Wraith.

The two of her servants that were present rose to their feet and bowed their heads, as they should - she as their Queen, the Mother of Grimm, the Everlasting.

"Sit," she commanded with a wave of her pale hand.

They obeyed.

Such good little slaves, she does so enjoy it when people know their place in the world. The two were arranged on either side of the table; Watts sat calmly with his hands folded in his lap, and the disgraced Cinder had her eyes downcast.

"Watts," Salem breathed as she sat upon her throne, "report."

"Yes, my Queen," the mustached man obeyed, "the repairs throughout Vale are nearing completion, and all information regarding the actual events are either being covered up or blamed on the White Fang and Adam Taurus. The wreckage of the Colosseum has been left as is and the forest of Forever Fall is now greatly reduced in scope-"

He was stalling. He was covering useless and old information to make himself look better when he got to the point of it all - that he'd failed. "Enough," The immortal commanded, "tell me the truth - have you found him?"

Watts blanched, quailing under her red-eyed gaze. "N-no, my lady. I have been unable to locate the boy. I used all my contacts within the Kingdoms, and even they do not know where he is. It is as though Jaune Arc has vanished from the face of Remnant."

Salem hummed. That was unfortunate. Her minions were best when they actually achieved what she had ordered them to do, and after a year of solid failure Salem was growing… impatient.

People tended to die horrible and painful deaths when Salem grew impatient.

"He is one boy, Watts," Salem said softly, allowing dread to ooze into the air, "how has one barely trained hunter slipped beyond the grasp of the kingdoms? If Cinder's reports are to be believed, without the use of his semblance the boy would be barely above average in terms of ability."

That was of course, if Cinder was to believed. The girl had a tendency to embellish certain details in order to make herself look better, and that was sorely needed after her colossal failure during the Vytal tournament, something which had set back their plans by months…

Well, that and Salem's own desire to… acquire… the Arc boy.

Such an interesting thing; the power of the soul was never to be underestimated. When one truly began to understand the soul, so too did they begin to grasp at understanding the world around them. Salem herself had learnt this… a very long time ago. In a time where the sun and the moon were united and the Gods looked upon the world and all they had made, the time when man roamed a world without the Grimm.

Salem had been there with them - until their _solution_ , until she gazed into the abyss of the soul, and the abyss gazed back into her. So she killed them.

All of them.

She killed all of them for what they did to her, for all the tortures that they heaped upon her.

All with her single, small little soul.

But the Arc boy… he had potential. All life had but one soul, one thing to keep it bound into the reality of mortality. But that didn't exactly apply to Jaune, did it? What was the number? Over a thousand? The power that the boy could access if he merely knew how… he could set the world on fire. No, more than that… one such as he could set _all_ worlds on fire.

Someone like that only had two possibilities as far as Salem was concerned. They joined her, ruling beside her as an _equal_ in all things.

Or they died.

It was simple, really.

The boy was a priority. Though the chances were _extremely_ slim of him deciphering the true nature of the soul, Salem wasn't interested in finding out what would happen if the boy was influenced by Ozpin into… his side of things.

"I… I do not know, my lady," Watts answered, drawing Salem's attention back into the conversation. "But perhaps Cinder should be held accountable for letting him slip through her grasp back during the attack on Vale."

"That was hardly my fault!" The shamed girl spoke up for the first time in the meeting, "How was I meant to predict events going the way they did? Arc was irritating but otherwise irrelevant, no one could have anticipated what happened!"

On that at least, Salem could agree. The emergence of such a powerful semblance was… unexpected. Of course, it would have utterly no effect on her, but the same could not be said of her minions. Cinder was… wise… to stay away from the boy.

It was not wise, however, to fail in killing Ozpin and taking the relic. That much was beyond foolish of the stupid little girl.

"Enough," Salem commanded when Watts opened his mouth to retort, "I grow weary of this. Watts, you will redouble your efforts to locate the boy. Cinder, you will continue your _training_ until little Jaune has been located."

Watts bowed his head in acceptance while Cinder glowered. Good. Anger was useful.

Perhaps training was the wrong word for Cinder's current task. But if she was to be able to ensnare the Arc boy she would need to have her aura strong enough to take the brunt of his semblance, and what better way to do that than to have her constantly face hordes of ravenous monsters? Again, the handy uses of Grimm.

It was pitiful, the way Cinder seemed so 'tortured' - as though the girl knew anything of _real_ pain, of what _true_ suffering was like. Pathetic.

Her two minions left the table, Salem's dark eyes following them as they stepped away. As useful as they were at times, there was still the irritating factor of their limited understanding of things. It was like they failed to see the most basic of truths that stood plainly before them. None of her servants could feel the ebb and flow of aura, they didn't _understand_ as she did.

They didn't feel the titanic weight of the largest soul-mass in millenia washing over Sanus. It was like it was screaming to Salem, and yet her foolish little minions were deaf to it. Unfortunately Sanus was a large place, and tracking the boy down may take some time…

But, well… what was a little time to an immortal?

* * *

 **Mineshaft, many years ago…**

 _ **One year after the Fall of Amity**_ **.**

"I mean, how could he say that to me?!"

Jaune nodded absently, "That's really something."

"It's outrageous is what it is!" Violet ranted, "I remember when this town was a nice place! When people wouldn't spit at me in the streets and random guys wouldn't ask for a lay because they thought I must be desperate!"

"Yup," Jaune agreed, "I hear you…"

He wasn't listening.

He was too busy _looking_.

"It's harassment!" she continued, "Plain and simple!"

Yeah… Jaune would never, _ever_ admit it to Violet, but conversations like this one had an uncanny ability to make him feel depressed. It was unfair to her, Jaune knew this, but that didn't stop him from feeling it. It was the mundanity that he craved, the normality that he found lacking in his everyday life. The way that she, and at times his father, would speak about little things - boring, _dull_ things that made up everyday life.

Things that he didn't, _couldn't,_ have anymore.

"I'm sure he doesn't matter," Jaune whispered into the dark, "If it's really serious just tell Dad, he'll sort it out."

Probably by breaking some poor bastard's face. But eh, details.

"Yeah," Violet agreed, "but I- you're doing it again, Jaune."

"Hmm? Doing what again?" Jaune asked vaguely, gaze locked onto his sister's soul.

"You're being all distant again," Violet shifted closer to him, nudging his shoulder gently. "Am I boring you?"

"No!" Jaune denied quickly. She never bored him, not ever. Without her and his father to keep him company he'd probably go insane from the loneliness. "I'm just… thinking, you know?"

Violet shifted again, "Tell me what about, then," She said softly, "tell me what you're thinking."

That was what Jaune loved about Violet; she was… kind. Perhaps not in the most obvious way, but there was a deep compassion in her that Jaune could never quite explain. Whenever she thought Jaune needed help she came running, and she was always there for him.

"Do you remember what I told you when I first said I wanted to be a hunter?" Jaune whispered lowly.

Violet chuckled lowly, her aura stirring in a low and melancholy way. "Yes, I remember… you were so little back then. You said you were going to be a hero and that you were going to make a world where no one cried."

Yeah… look how that one turned out. When Jaune peered into Vale he could almost _feel_ the sorrow and suffering of all of those that he wronged, the misery so profound that it practically seeped into the air. Some because of all the usual reasons: Grimm, social issues and the like… but mostly thanks to him and the horror he wrought at Amity.

But it had been a year now, if Violet and John were to be believed, and Jaune had spent longer in this miserable hovel than he had ever spent at Beacon. And he'd spent most of that time hating himself, and trying to think of ways to either fix or undo the nightmare that he'd made.

"I also seem to remember you saying you were going to marry me."

Jaune scoffed, of course she would mention that. She just just _loved_ to bring that up. "Focus Violet," he chuckled, "don't interrupt me when I'm being deep and philosophical."

Jaune couldn't see, but he got the distinct impression she was rolling her eyes.

"What I'm trying to say is, what if I could?" Jaune asked, "What if I could make people happy?"

"You've always wanted the best for everyone Jaune," Violet hugged him lightly, "What's changed?"

It was something perhaps born from his semblance, or maybe it was because he was acutely aware of how the soul worked, but this was something that Jaune had been thinking about for a while now. If he could reach out and take the soul of another, what's to stop him from doing something else to the soul? He knew what a soul and aura looked like when it was happy, when it was sad and everything in between. So… what was to stop him from just… fudging a few details and making someone happy?

"Ability, perhaps…" Jaune murmured, his soul reaching out towards the deep-seated melancholy within his sister.

"What are you- woah!" Violet cried out, but it wasn't pained. It was… happy?

It wasn't a major manipulation, just a few little things smoothed over and other things shifted into the pattern that Jaune recognized to be happiness. "How do you feel?" Jaune asked, hoping for the best.

Violet's hand smacked across his face in a ringing slap.

"Ow," she muttered as she rubbed her hand.

Jaune tilted his head to the side, the pain practically non-existent thanks to his aura. "That looked like it hurt."

Sarcastic perhaps, but that was what she deserved after slapping him in the face.

"Bastard," Violet groused, her voice tinged with a joy that both of them knew wasn't entirely natural. "What did you do? Why do I feel so happy all of a sudden?"

Jaune smiled, ugly and grimy skin on his face twisting unpleasantly. "I think I just found a way to be a hunter…"

He may not be able to fight, or leave his personal slice of hell in the mine, but he could bring joy.

And really, joy was the world's greatest weapon against the Grimm.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

Ozpin considered the book before him.

It was the mangled thing that he'd found within the room the alternate RWBY had used. It just repeated the same message over and over again, though how exactly the book did this was beyond the aged man. It spoke the words of Jaune, nay, it spoke the words of Nihilus.

And yet it also spoke of him being afraid, of having looked into the heart of the world, Remnant being on the precipice of change.

Ozpin shuddered, his eyes roving over the cursed tome. Surely Nihilus wasn't aware…? No, the words basically confirmed this. Nihilus had done it, he'd done the same thing as _she_ had all those years ago. It went without saying, but the circumstances between Nihilus and Salem would have been vastly different, but for them both to have unlocked…?

No, how could Nihilus have done in a decade what Ozpin himself had failed to do for so many lifetimes? There had to be something else, something missing…

Ozpin leaned back and rubbed his eyes; wishing once more for the billionth time he could go back and change history, that he could undo the mistake he and others had made all those years ago that lead to this damnation.

If Nihilus, _Jaune_ , had found the same truth as Salem had all those years ago, then the man must have been immeasurably kind to have acted as he did; with that kind of power it would have been just as easy to wipe Vale off the map as it was to kill an ant. And yet for all that power, the man instead had chosen to pursue a single target with mundane means… incredible.

Ozpin shivered, a cold feeling crawling up his spine as the room seemed to darken.

If Nihilus had truly done what Ozpin was beginning to suspect… Then he'd need to speak to Jaune. Either work to firmly entrench the boy onto their side, or at the very least guide him away from anything that might set him off.

This was bigger than the Maidens, much bigger. Their power was still of the natural world, something tangible and, comparatively at least, very young compared to the power that Nihilus had apparently tapped into. Nihilus must have been very kind indeed to have only acted as he did…

Ozpin sighed. It was times like this that made him feel so old… like his failures were dragging him down.

"But I cannot shirk my duty," the elder hunter whispered into the empty room, his resolve strengthening once more.

Perhaps it would be best to bring young Mister Arc into the fold, and perhaps explain the truth of matters. Ironwood would likely have a fit if Ozpin brought the boy in, but James lacked Ozpin's experience with such matters. Glynda may attempt to flay him for putting more pressure on the boy, but she would relent to him. Qrow would probably just offer young Jaune a drink.

Yes… when Jaune was fully recovered from his ordeal with his other self, Ozpin would tell him the truth. Give the boy a history lesson and explain why the world is the way it is, and tell the boy of the power his other half seemingly unlocked… and what he could have done with that power.

He'd get Jaune on their side, and maybe… maybe it would finally be enough to put Salem to rest. After so many years of her torment, she deserved her sleep…

* * *

 **Vale, present day…**

It felt like he was drowning.

Jaune sipped his drink, grimacing at the foul and fiery taste.

It felt like his teammates were trying to drown him; they meant well, but the effect didn't mirror the intent. All the warmth and kindness they were offering him… it was too much. So he'd thought maybe it would be best if he were to escape, if only for a little while.

" _Never escape, never leave. This is our shared grave."_

Well, if Jaune was being completely honest, there was only one thing keeping him at Beacon now.

After all that Nihilus had done to him, and had made him do, Jaune had little desire to waste his time trying to fulfil the now-shattered dream of being a hunter. Why bother learning how to save others when Jaune had already failed so spectacularly at it?

" _Salvation and damnation are the same thing."_

No, Beacon was pointless to him. But as ever, the corruption of Nihilus ate at his soul, and apparently at at the soul of Weiss now.

 _That_ was why he would return. For Nihilus to curse Jaune was one thing, but Weiss…? He didn't see the point, but he wouldn't stand for it - just as he wouldn't stand for such a thing happening to any of his friends. Even if she did apparently hate him.

" _Her hatred is shallow."_

Jaune gagged as he took another sip of his drink, utterly ignoring the way the words slithered in his soul.

This place… to call it a bar would be flattering, despite what the sign above the establishment said. The Crow Bar… just some pissy little joint on the water side. Jaune hadn't ever really drunk any alcohol before, but given the way his life had been going, Jaune felt that he couldn't be blamed. Health issues or not.

"Why her?" Jaune pondered quietly into the night, fingers cradling the glass in his hand like a lifeline. "Why Weiss?"

A dark shadow gleamed in the shiny woodwork of the bar top, a monstrous face staring into Jaune. The cold of the night air seemed to cling to him, chilling the teen to his core.

He didn't even flinch.

" _She does this to herself, Betrayer."_

As delightfully forthcoming as ever.

Jaune glared at the reflection of Nihilus, "I hate you."

" _I hate you too."  
_

Nihilus wasn't dead. Jaune had been a fool for ever hoping that he had been. He'd known from the moment the beast kept speaking to him, insulting him, taunting him… of course, it didn't help the the cancerous ghost seemed to hover around him like a plague.

Everyone else was blind to him. Jaune had known that from the moment Ozpin, Glynda and Ironwood had utterly failed to react as the dark lord casually sat in on their interrogation of him.

Jaune, and perhaps even everyone, had been idiots to think that Nihilus would just _die_. Nihilus was more than that, more than just a body of flesh and blood. He was a desire, a force of will that existed merely because he decided it to be so. All Jaune had ever achieved was convincing the man to let go of his stolen body.

For all the good it did him.

"You're saying this isn't your doing?" Jaune ignored the strange look the bartender was giving him.

" _Team RWBY spent their entire adult lives trying to *fight*_ _me. Only recently was I kind enough to finally kill them. If I truly wanted the little Schnee dead, I would have killed them all at Beacon."_

What a lovely way to answer the question without actually giving any useful information. Nihilus was useful like that - he always had something to say, but Jaune never thought it was helpful.

Someone plopped down into the stool next to Jaune. He ignored it.

"You know what's happening though," Jaune accused.

" _Weiss is attacking Weiss. I believed the damage to her soul irreparable, but it looks like even in death the fragments cling to life."  
_

Weiss is attacking Weiss? What drivel was that? More rhetorical nonsense. Damn him, damn Nihilus to whatever rotten hell the man was currently hiding from.

Something poked Jaune's side.

Jaune growled, not bothering to look, "Go away, can't you see I'm busy?"

He just wanted to drown himself alone, not to hear the insane giggles of Nihilus, not to put up with the prattling of his teammates, not to hear the noise of RWBY, and not to hear what some god-damned stranger had to say.

They poked his side again, harder this time.

Jaune's eyes blazed as he finally looked away from his drink, gaze snapping towards the irritant. "What?! What do you want?!"

He wanted to burn her. His fingers twitched in anticipation and rage that was not his own thrummed beneath the surface. But he controlled it, barely.

Mismatched eyes stared at him, one pink and the other brown. Hair matched the heterochromatic eyes, except in reverse - she looked like a damn idiot. A very _short_ idiot too, not even reaching five feet by the look of it.

The tiny girl smiled at him, either unaware or uncaring to his anger. She held one hand out and gestured towards him and then rubbed her thumb and fingers together in the universal gesture for money.

Jaune's eyes narrowed, his mind suddenly taking note of the panicked and short gasps from the bartender.

The girl looked at him expectantly, her hand gesturing for him to give something to her.

Given the way the bartender shakily pushed a wad of cash in her direction, Jaune was pretty sure he knew what she wanted.

She was mugging him. And mugging the bartender too.

"Hey kid," the older man behind him whispered shakily, "just give her your money. She and her friend have had a protection racket on this place for years…"

Jaune glanced at the girl again.

She smiled at him.

"Look," Jaune sighed, "I really don't care if you mug this guy, but I'm not giving you my money."

Had this happened less than a fortnight ago Jaune would have either shit his pants or tried to stop her, but now? Now he didn't care. It didn't matter, _nothing_ mattered. Not some little crook like her and not whatever crap she thought she deserved.

The girl's smile deepened, her raised hand lowering to a… parasol? Whatever, it wasn't like-

Jaune barely had time to jerk his head backwards as the dainty pink umbrella passed through where his face had been a moment before.

A second later a heeled boot slammed into his chest.

Jaune sailed out of the open bar, crashing into the pavement painfully as he skidded towards the waterside.

 _She definitely has hunter training_. The thought stabbed at him the moment he stopped moving, the jarring shock of the attack a painful awakener. She was strong.

But so was he.

Jaune rolled to his feet with a groan, blue eyes locking onto the still smiling face of the girl. Using Dust was possible, but not preferred - it wouldn't look good if he burnt down half of Vale in a fury, and regardless of that he was low on Dust, running out of the crystals that Nihilus had given him.

So… that left what? Guilty Thorn? That weapon was poisonous, something that wanted to see everything _die_. Jaune… didn't think he could bring himself to use the wretched thing. So the chains then. They were powerful, but not massively destructive. He could fight with them if he was… careful.

"Last chance," Jaune pleaded as he rose to his feet, he _really_ didn't want to fight her… "Leave me alone."

The girl just tilted her head and winked at him, slowly twirling her parasol in her right hand.

"Whatever then…" Jaune sighed, it was her loss.

Two small pools of golden light sprung to life on either side of Jaune's face, both only as large as about Jaune's head. A moment later massive chains shot out of them, the metal rocketing towards the small girl at tremendous speeds.

Jaune barely caught sight of her eyes widening before she disappeared.

The chains slammed into the ground, concrete cracking and wood splintering.

Jaune sighed, hopefully he wouldn't have to pay for that…

"I know you're still here," Jaune spoke into the seemingly empty air before him. He wasn't sure how he knew… but it was just nudging him and telling him that the girl was still here somewhere. "Can we not do this? I just want to get a drink before my friends come looking for me."

Something fluttered down before him.

Jaune snatched the small slip of paper from the air, the chains on either side of him fading away as his attention closed onto what was written before him.

 _Next time you go out drinking, go to The Club in downtown Vale. Ask for Junior to set you up with Roman if you ever want a job._

Jaune scoffed and shoved the paper in his pocket. Why the hell would he do that? The girl must be crazy.

Whatever. Jaune shrugged; it wasn't like it would matter in the grand scheme of things.

* * *

1237

* * *

 **A/N**

 **This chapter is crazy. Nihilus is still around (I wouldn't call him alive…) and tormenting Jaune, Ozpin is scheming, and Salem is ruling. All very hint-y and spoiler-y if one reads into things…**

 **Reviews:**

 **Guest:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Heh, that's what I was going for. Thanks.**

 **Nerd315:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Everyone's motives are based on personal desires, even if it's a desire to fulfil a family tradition or a desire to become a 'hero'. To Jaune (as well as most of the main cast) the ideal of being a 'hero' is still something they cling to, if distantly. It is true that Jaune wasn't directly wanting to be a hero - but he did want to be a hunter, and for him I imagine that there is little distinction between the two. For Jaune it isn't self sacrificial, it's self serving - but whoever says being self serving is bad is a fool.**

 **Pyrrha is just as selfish as Jaune - and is that a bad thing? No, that's how people work. She believes she 'needs' to be a champion, to be powerful and to help people, and yet she also wants to be seen as a person and not a idol. She gains satisfaction from obeying the standard she has set out for herself, and as luck would have it most people would see that standard as being self sacrificing - so win/win for her.**

 **The same can be said of Ruby - she believes she does the 'right' thing because it's 'right'. But that isn't true - that's not how people work. She does the 'right' thing because afterwards she feels satisfied and happy with herself. There is nothing wrong with this, that's just nature. As for why I chose to use Jaune instead of Ruby... several reasons. Firstly, being male myself I find it easier to work with male characters (generally). Secondly, her semblance is already established, so I couldn't really screw around with it too much. And most importantly... Whenever I write anything I tend to be a massive arse to my main character (shocking, I know), and this site seems to be full of people who have enough time to send lengthy PM's insulting me - so I didn't bother testing how I would go against the literal poster child for the entire series.**

 **I don't particularly like any of the main characters either - the only one I don't outright hate from the main cast is Weiss (and that's a narrow thing...). I have seen some of the thing from Celtic Phoenix (not all) and I find myself largely agreeing with most of what he is saying.**

 **And yes, inspired by Fate/Zero (second favourite anime). I love the fact that you took the time to politely point out your concerns, so thanks!**

 **TalonIbnLaAhad:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **In regards to the name, eh, you'll see soon enough.**

 **Nihilus did indeed damage all those around him, particularly Jaune, Pyrrha and Weiss. With reference to Weiss what is happening to Weiss though - I won't say directly, but perhaps the Weiss that Nihilus killed in Atlas wasn't quite as dead as everyone thought. Your second theory on the matter is interesting though, the theory that it could be Nihilus attempting to reform himself. Incorrect, but still interesting. Nihilus is an old beast, and one that was dead anyway. So Technically all that changed was Jaune convincing him to finally let his host body go. Jaune was being quite literal when he said that the rage of Nihilus will never die. Jaune has access to more power than he knows, but whether that power is actually his is debatable - the soul of Nihilus is a frightful thing after all.**

 **Shipping wars abound, I suspect many people will be disappointed by the final result. Though I can always approve of tickling the beast.**

 **I think you have grasped my main theme for this story quite soundly - perspective. Everyone is the hero of their own story, everyone believes that they know best... and yet, all all limited and narrow in their own ways. Nihilus has the most diverse understanding and perspective of all the characters so far, and where did that get him? Madness and suffering. Jaune has a much broader perspective than RWBY and NPR and yet he is stuck in a wretched existence that he barely tolerates. So whether having a broad perspective is a good thing is... debatable.**

 **Thanks for the long review! Take care.**

 **\- The name is coming soon…**

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading and don't forget to leave a review!**


	36. Spark

Wraith

Chapter Thirty Six

Beta: Smithrooks

Spark

 **Grimmlands, present day…**

Salem could _feel_ it.

Like a malignant tumor festering on the edges of perception, she could feel it.

There was something… lingering… in the world that hadn't been there before. Something that was just edging at reality, and yet was also distinctly… apart.

Salem hadn't felt anything like this for many years, since a time when the Gods of Light and Dark still lived. To feel it now was troubling, and yet it was also something of an opportunity.

The latest report from young Cinder had indicated that the 'Lord of Hunger' had died, but with this Salem was certain that something altogether more amazing had happened.

Whoever this man was, he must have found a way to delve into the power of the soul - just as she had done so long ago. But he seemed to have achieved something she herself had never attained: the ability to cheat death.

She could feel him clinging to the edge of the world, like a ghost going unseen to all the blind fools that inhabited the land. Nihilus… not his real name obviously, but it spoke of him, of the things he believed in.

Or rather, the lack of things he believed in.

And what, she wondered, had driven him to this? The title 'Lord of Hunger' was something that wretch Ozpin had called him, but Nihilus was something witnesses reported the man calling himself. What kind of life had the man led? Something akin to normal humans of this age? Or something altogether different? Or perhaps… was he like her? Such things committed unto another… Salem felt her hatred for humanity increase.

But Nihilus had obviously found his solution, even if he had died eventually anyway. Such was the issue with the frailty of mortal flesh. And yet… Nihilus had survived his own death. That knowledge was something Salem _needed_. An answer to the dilemma that had plagued her for millennia.

Salem feared only one thing, and that was death. She had conquered the test of age aeons ago, but a dagger in her heart would kill her just as it would anyone else. But this Nihilus had survived his physical death...

She needed him. That much was beyond question. The wraith had solved a dilemma that had plagued her for years beyond counting, and if he could be persuaded to share the secret of his true immortality with her… well, grand things would lay in store for the man. Grand things...

"My lady?"

"Hush, Watts," Salem commanded to her minion. She was concentrating.

She needed to summon the revenant, bring him to her and force him to spill his secrets. Her perception of the man felt so much duller now that he was without a physical form, so he must have been greatly weakened by dying. But that was acceptable; she could grant him power enough to force himself into the world once again.

"Watts," Salem commanded once her ruminations came to a close, "I have decided that I will summon the spirit of the Lord of Hunger and bind him to me."

Watts was a good little servant. The intellectual among… well, _lesser_ intellectuals. Hazel was quiet, not stupid. Cinder was a manipulative little wretch, but cunning. And Tyrian… well, if nothing else the man was very good at what he did.

"I see, my lady," The mustached man agreed, "is there anything I can do to assist in the matter?"

He was also a kiss-ass. But that was okay, Salem did so enjoy it when her minions were good.

"Stay with me, Watts," Salem commanded, "I will call the ghost here - but I want him to _choose_ to work with us, and you know much of the current world of man so you shall be useful in procuring whatever it is that he wants."

Salem peered into his soul, the greedy little thing. Watts was a good little minion because he was easy - the man preened under anything complimentary, and in addition was highly greedy. If something looked to benefit him in any way he'd jump at it, including a chance to gain favour from his master.

Watts bowed. "Very well my lady, I shall stay by your side."

Salem acknowledged her glorified slave with a nod, her mind and powers turning to the much greater task.

Salem felt her power reach into the darkness of reality, her might bending the essence of the world to her will. She stretched out and clawed around the grotesque soul of Nihilus, drawing him to her domain.

" _I summon you. Come to me, revenant…"_

He was huge, a beast of thousands of souls. But Salem's power was immense, and she would not be swayed.

He would be _hers._

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

Once upon a time, Jaune may have found this endearing.

"I can't believe you were so reckless!"

Now he only found it irritating.

After his little jaunt last night, he'd returned to find his team in a state of panic over his disappearance. They'd been easy enough to calm and reassure, mostly with Pyrrha and Nora refusing to leave his side for hours and Ren giving him stern and disapproving looks. However…

"What would I have done if you'd disappeared?!"

Weiss was not an issue he'd anticipated.

" _Kill her… betray them as you betrayed me."  
_

Jaune ignored the whispers of the dead god that clawed through his skull.

Weiss had… attached herself to him. Not out of any particular affection she held towards him of course, but instead because she seemed to believe that he still somehow held the key to curing her. Utter nonsense, he couldn't fix her any more than he could fix himself. The 'voices' she claimed she was hearing would be staying with her for a lifetime.

Why? Because the rage of Nihilus would never die.

" _I killed them all. I made stars die and worlds wither."_

The words lingered in the air like a poison.

"Died or gone insane, I expect," Jaune replied eventually. Though that was probably going to happen eventually anyway...

He didn't want to have this conversation. It was his first day back in classes, and he just… well, he just wanted nothing to do with it. Why Weiss had dragged him into an abandoned classroom for this talk he'd never really know.

"How dare you!" Weiss shouted in his face, "You realise that you're the only one with any understanding of what that monster did!? You're the only way I can ever find a cure! You're the only one that doesn't make the voices start!"

Jaune tilted his head to the side, "I can't fix it, Weiss."

"Then I will find a way to fix it myself!" she scowled at him, "But in the meantime, I _need_ the silence."

That was fair enough he supposed, though Jaune would admit he hadn't expected someone as proud as Weiss being able to admit it. Maybe she was just that desperate? "Okay," Jaune conceded easily, "I understand."

" _I understood. I understood it all, I reached depths long since lost…"_

That still didn't mean he was going to tell her whenever he went anywhere outside of Beacon, all it meant was that he _understood._

"I'm pleased that you see my side of things!" she huffed with her arms crossed. "We should probably get to class now, lest Xiao-Long start thinking up asinine rumors about us."

Jaune just sighed but nodded his head, Yang did seem like the type to do that. Whatever, at least it was going to be an easy first class. How ironic that he thought that now…

Combat with Miss Goodwitch, something that Jaune hadn't had a chance to participate in before Nihilus had taken him. Also the class that he'd been the most terrified to participate in, what with having utterly no combat training at all. But now… with the help of the rings Jaune could confidently say that he could easily kill almost any fully trained hunter, so the students were barely a blip on the radar.

And as an added bonus, Jaune wasn't likely to be called up given that it was his first day back, so the professor was likely content to just allow him to watch for now. Hopefully, anyway.

"Let's go," Jaune muttered as he stepped out of the disused classroom, Weiss following him closely behind.

" _HahaHA! She clings to you, Betrayer. Clawing at you for some false salvation."_

Weiss was likely doomed however, and nothing he could ever do would change that. Perhaps if he were still a bit more naive he may have asked for Nihilus' help… but now? Now he knew how foolish that would be. At best the Lord would just deny him, but more likely Nihilus would find a way to do something profoundly horrible to Weiss under the pretence of 'helping'.

That was just how the man operated.

A dark shadow passed over Jaune's vision, the hazy apparition of the being he hated most in the world oozing into his perception. It looked… odd. It was the true form of Nihilus that he'd 'killed' when Nihilus had posed his final test to Jaune. Milky blue eyes sunken into a face trisected by three massive scars, with the hobbled gait of a crippled man.

The true Nihilus then. Formerly Jaune Arc.

" _I hear you… I_ _feel_ _you. Are you eager, Betrayer? To rip, rend and tear?"_

Jaune stepped past the ghost, unsurprised that Weiss didn't react to it in the slightest. Of course she couldn't see it, Nihilus was saving that torture for Jaune alone.

The rest of the walk was in silence, Weiss taking obvious enjoyment out of the lack of words spoken. Jaune himself just… ruminated.

"Well, well, well!" Yang greeted as he and Weiss entered the combat hall, "Where have you two been?"

"We were just talking," Weiss snapped as she sat down on the bench, the empty spot beside her a clear demand for Jaune to take that spot. "That's all you need to know."

Jaune just sighed as he sat down and Weiss lashed out against the other blonde. Silly girl didn't realise that she was just fuelling Yang's teasing by being defensive.

"Are you okay, Jaune?"

" _She's lying."_

Pyrrha's voice from his right side crashed into him despite how gentle it was, Nihilus' comment utterly ignored because of how spiteful it was. Her green eyes followed him like a hawk, her expression kind but worried all at once. _That_ was why he'd escaped last night. The _pity_ that she looked at him with, as though he was a broken doll.

He hated it.

It made him burn, his fingers twitch, and his rings _ache._

"I'm fine."

" _You're lying too."_

"Well," the champion hedged, "If you're sure-"

The sound of leather smacking on flesh drew the class into silence immediately. Professor Goodwitch had arrived, riding crop in hand and a stern expression on her face.

"Good morning students," the scary woman greeted them with all the joy of a dying man, "Today we will continue with our usual bouts. Do I have any volunteers?"

"I want to fight!"

A voice cried out on the far side of the bleachers, though Jaune didn't bother turning his head to see who it was. He didn't recognise the voice, thus it was someone irrelevant and unimportant.

"Very well, Mr. Winchester," The Professor conceded. "Who would you like as your opponent?"

" _I killed him. I killed my partner."_

Jaune lazily watched as the large boy strolled onto the arena. This guy had been Nihilus' partner? How underwhelming.

"I'd like to fight Jaune Arc!"

Jaune felt his eyes open wider. This guy wanted to fight him? Why? He didn't remember doing anything to piss him, or anyone else, off.

"Hmm… very well," Goodwitch hummed, "do you accept the challenge Mr. Arc? I understand if you do not, you have only just begun to recover from your ordeal after all."

Jaune suppressed the throb of rage he knew wasn't entirely his own. How he hated _pity_. He couldn't stand it when others looked down on him as though they thought they were any better than he was! He would take this fight then, and he would show that he was _not_ going to be pitied by _anyone_.

"I'll fight," Jaune declared.

Pyrrha's hand latched onto his arm as Jaune rose to his feet, her green eyes wide with alarm as she looked at him. "Don't do it," she whispered urgently. "You don't need to fight, you don't know what could happen if you use the rings again!"

" _Doesn't the pale imitation realise? You know exactly what will happen…"_

Jaune shrugged her hand away. "I'll be fine," he countered as he stepped down to the ring.

"Oh?" Weiss asked quietly as Jaune left, "Are you worried about him?"

Jaune barely heard the sound of Pyrrha sighing, "It's not him I'm worried about…"

Whatever else was said, Jaune didn't hear it. Nor did he care to. Pyrrha had good intentions, but ultimately she was the reason Jaune was stuck in his current wretched existence. He didn't blame her, but on some level, he couldn't forgive her either…

"Mr. Arc?" The blonde professor inquired as he stepped opposite Cardin. "Do you not wish to retrieve your weapon?"

His weapon-?

Oh… Crocea Mors. Had he omitted that detail when explaining things to Ozpin's little group? The sword was with its true owner: John Arc. Wherever the man was. Maybe he should look into finding out what happened to him and the rest of the family? Not that it really mattered anymore. Nothing mattered anymore.

"No," Jaune muttered without bothering to actually explain. "I… won't need it."

Opposite him, Cardin's face grew red with anger and the crowd snickered.

"Very well Mr. Arc," Goodwitch intoned, "you may begin when ready."

The professor stepped back, but neither he nor Cardin moved an inch.

" _He was a good partner and a good friend. Weak in body, but indomitable in spirit. Even now, I cherish his soul."_

The boy looked formidable enough, Jaune supposed. Far more suited to be a hunter than any of the girls on RWBY, at least in terms of fighting attire anyway. Though Jaune wasn't sure about the anger he felt radiating off the larger boy.

"Why did you want to fight me?" Jaune asked eventually, just to break the staring contest.

Cardin swung his mace before him threateningly. "You survived being with that rogue hunter, the bastard that attacked Vale, so you must be pretty strong." The giant mace shifted upwards to point at Jaune's face. "I want to prove that I'm stronger."

How petty.

"Okay," Jaune sighed. It was rather pathetic, but he needed the stress relief. "I'll try not to hurt you too much then."

Cardin's eyes bulged. "You bastard! I'll-"

Jaune scoffed and clicked his fingers.

Cardin howled in pain and dropped his mace so he could clutch at his lips as flame erupted in his mouth, saliva boiling from the sheer heat alone. It was amazing how quickly the tongue could be rendered into a bubbling grease.

" _Hatred is the most powerful of emotions. Let hatred break your chains…"_

Jaune rolled his eyes; the weakling was being melodramatic. His aura would have protected him from the worst of the damage, it was just a little bit of pain. Pain was the greatest of teachers, after all.

" _Can't you taste the envy in his soul, Lord of Betrayal?"_

Cardin coughed and sputtered as he finally regained himself. His blue eyes glared venomous hatred at Jaune. "You'll pay for that!" he hissed, his hand snatching his mace from the floor.

Jaune felt rage pooling in his blood. He would make this fool suffer. With a hateful grimace Jaune snapped his fingers again, fully intent on hurting the other boy.

To his credit Cardin did attempt to move out of the way of the sudden attack, but he wasn't nearly fast enough.

Cardin dropped like a stone as heat erupted around his eyes, his meaty hands dropping his mace to claw at the source of his new agony. The large boy began to wail in agony as the fluid in his eyes began to boil, his eyeballs roasting in their sockets under Jaune's power.

It was what he deserved, the wretched pathetic scum was getting his just desserts. This was perfect-

"That's enough!" Professor Goodwitch's power slammed into the arena like a hurricane, the flames around Cardin's eyes sputtering and dying within moments. "The match is over! Stop now!"

All at once Jaune felt his rage break, the red haze over his vision clearing. What-

Fire, pain, suffering.

Jaune felt no shame for this new atrocity of his, for he had none left to give after his other horrors. However, the looks Goodwitch and the rest of the class were giving him were… painful. Hatred tinged with just the slightest touch of fear.

All for little old Jaune.

Professor Goodwitch's hand clamped onto his shoulder like a vice. "I think you and I should see the Headmaster, Mr. Arc. What you have done…"

She didn't say it, she didn't need to. He was a monster.

And now everyone knew it.

* * *

 **Mineshaft, many years ago…**

 **One year, six months after the Fall of Amity.**

Jaune felt his his gut twist with worry and fear.

Pyrrha was fighting Grimm - for what else could it be if he could not see it - out in Forever Fall with what he presumed was her team. It was hardly the first time she'd been in battle of course, but Jaune couldn't help but feel a spike of worry for his old friend as he watched her soul begin to colour with fear.

She was losing.

But Jaune was a world away, locked in his deep dark little hole. There was nothing he could do to help.

He didn't want to watch, not really. But he couldn't not see it, as Pyrrha was always in the back of his perception. She was his best friend in Beacon, the one he'd confided in and trusted above even his own team. She probably hated him for the things he'd done, but there was no way he'd ever hate her.

Not in a million years.

The real problem came from her teammates, as they were practically soaked in fear and terror. Unlike Pyrrha, whose soul had only the barest colouring of the negative emotion. The other three were bringing in more Grimm through their negativity, and with more Grimm they became more afraid, and when they became more afraid they brought more Grimm…

It was maddening.

And Jaune could do nothing but _sit_ and _watch_.

But perhaps he could do one thing…

Hope was the greatest weapon against the Grimm, a shield of compassion and kindness to drive them back into the foul darkness they came from. Such things were beginning to be lost in those that fought with Pyrrha… but Jaune could fix that.

Perhaps some would consider it morally wrong to play with the hearts and minds of others, but for Jaune… he was selfish. He wasn't a hero, and he wasn't a good man. He wanted Pyrrha to live.

Right and wrong didn't factor into it.

Jaune let his mind reach into their souls, metaphysical hands violently rearranging their emotions into the correct patterns.

Hope, kindness, and compassion. The greatest weapons against the Grimm.

Jaune wasn't so worried after that…

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

They were lying.

It was all a lie, all a wretched little lie that would fade and die as all things did.

Nihilus knew this.

He was a wraith, a ghost lingering just in the folds of reality and only existing because he demanded it. Because he _willed_ it.

And yet still, despite knowing it was all a lie, Nihilus found that he was unable to look away from it.

" _ **I summon you. Come to me, revenant…"**_

They crowded around like insects. Words were fickle so Nihilus didn't bother listening, instead he peered into their souls and listened to the songs they sang. RWBY and NPR were all so _concerned_ about the Betrayer, their emotions telling the tale of the fear they had felt when the boy had disappeared for the night, as well as the awe and _disgust_ that lingered after the display he'd put on when he'd fought Cardin.

They were weak little creatures. So reliant on their petty feelings and perceptions… but at the same time, there was an indomitable strength about them. It wasn't love, but instead _greed_. They wanted the Betrayer to be safe, to be happy, to be healthy, to be so many things that he simply wasn't. It was the nature of all life to want something it did not have, but for Nihilus it was… odd.

There were differences. RWBY seemed… so _young_ compared to what he knew. Yang's soul played the tune of happiness still, and Ruby's soul still carried the damning heat of hope. Blake's was unburdened by the self-given guilt, and Weiss'...

Something was _wrong_ with the soul of little Weiss.

" _ **Come to me, I command you…"**_

Unseen, Nihilus swept through the school. It had been so long that he had forgotten what this place was like, the cancerous thing that it was. He settled around the Schnee girl, his phantasmal essence oozing through her soul. He was impressed; the way the broken fragments of the _real_ Weiss clung unto the younger girl was… new. He'd never seen anything like it… oh, he knew it was _possible_ , he'd just never expected something like this to _happen_.

The shards stabbed and dug their way into the still living girl as though trying to escape him, as though they were still _aware_.

They weren't of course, the Weiss Schnee of _his_ world was dead - and nothing could ever really change that at this point. But what made Weiss _Weiss_ remained, and all those little pieces were now trying to cling to the mortal world. Memories, emotions, _feelings_ … they clawed at the younger Schnee girl like a lifeline. Why her he did not know, perhaps the soul shards felt the familiar nature of her soul? Or maybe it was merely dumb luck...

 _She never feared death…_ Nihilus' thoughts oozed into the folds of reality where he existed. Weiss was a strong girl, stronger than the insipid weakness of the rest of her team. Maybe this would only serve to empower her.

" _ **Come to me…"**_

Nihilus removed himself from Weiss lazily, his awareness stretching out and grasping into the darkness beyond petty mortal sight. _She_ was still here? How novel, sometimes Nihilus forgot that others considered her an actual threat. She was growing bothersome; the petty witch had wisdom and ability enough to discern his true nature. What she lacked however, was the ability to do anything beyond that.

Regardless, Salem would make for an amusing diversion. He always loved the way she wailed.

Nihilus oozed his way around the Betrayer, his ghostly arms settling onto the boy's shoulders as he walked with the little teacher towards Ozpin's disgusting excuse for a tower. _"I will return, Lord of Betrayal."  
_

WIth but a thought, Nihilus allowed the pull and winked out of existence.

Reality unfolded around Nihilus, the being that 'summoned' him drawing him into her clutches deep within the Grimmlands.

"Mistress?" What was that one's name? Nihilus had killed him before of course, but the name… Whatts? What? Something like that. "Did it work? I cannot see it as you do…"

"Of course it did, Watts." Ah Salem, the Dread Queen herself. "The spirit is simply choosing not to show itself to your eyes."

Nihilus looked into the ancient soul of Salem. She was an interesting thing, a creature of hatred and pain that lashed out at the world like a wounded animal. If Nihilus chose, he could soothe her pain, but why would he? Her soul was terribly broken, a tiny little thing that was so very cursed that it tarnished her absolutely. But she'd already killed the one that had done this to her, again and again…

So Nihilus would grant her one last mercy.

With the barest flex of power the shade of the fallen Arc abruptly became visible to the mortal world, his ghostly appearance taking on the visage of his true self - a white, red, and bronze soul riddled with cracks. Amber and Cinder had granted him much…

"Hello," Nihilus greeted, hatred oozing, "I am the Lord of Hunger."

* * *

1237

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.**

 **As a Christmas gift to me how about some reviews?**

 **Speaking of reviews…**

 **Blaiseingfire:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Yeah, Neo had no interest in fighting someone with obvious training. Too much time, time that could be better spent eating ice-cream.**

 **Nerd315:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Thanks. And sorry for not getting back to you on your second PM, this time of year is always busy for me.**

 **ZHsteven:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **At the end? Not even close. All the really fun stuff is still coming.**

 **And yes, team RWBY is in for a shake up thanks to Weiss' new… condition.**

* * *

 **I'd love you all forever if you left a review!**


	37. Soul Light

Wraith

Chapter Thirty Seven

Beta: Smithrooks

Soul Light

 **Beacon, present day…**

 **Two years after the Fall of Amity.**

Pyrrha raised her drink into the air, a sardonic chuckle slipping past her lips. "Happy birthday, Jaune."

No one answered her.

And no one would, because she was alone.

If anyone even remembered that it was Jaune's birthday, then they didn't say. Nor would they, for he was just a memory now. A terrible nightmare come and gone. Some remembered, like RWBY, so lost in their haze of grief and rage. But they only remembered him for Amity, for less than twelve hours of Jaune's life. Not for any of the months they'd been his friend before that.

Where was he now, she wondered at times. The greatest friend that she'd ever had, hell, the only real friend she'd ever had. Was he safe? Happy? Or was he all alone, stuck in the grip of solitude and the weight of his sins?

Ah, but such thoughts led only to madness.

Warmth settled around her shoulders, a soothing feeling slipping into her troubled spirit. She didn't know why or how… but Pyrrha felt her sadness slipping away. It felt like a parent or older sibling, gently guiding her away from the troubling emotions.

That happened sometimes; whenever Pyrrha felt herself growing distressed, it was almost as though the negativity just… left.

And for some reason, she always felt as though it was Jaune that was doing it.

"Heh," Pyrrha whispered into the empty night around her, "still trying to comfort me, silly? One day I'll return the favour."

One day...

* * *

 **Grimmlands, present day…**

"Hello," _it_ greeted, "I am the Lord of Hunger."

Salem stared at the tri-coloured form before her; white, bronze and red riddled with innumerable cracks and tears. It was an ugly thing to behold, something misshapen and unnatural. This was Nihilus? The mighty Lord of Hunger that Ozpin and his little armada of fools feared so? It was so terribly broken, so unbelievably damaged… perhaps even more so than herself.

After all the years, after all the aeons of isolation, was this a kindred spirit?

"You stand in the presence of Salem," Watts declared from beside her, "show her respect."

The writhing soul-mass flared brightly, the briefest kaleidoscope of innumerable colours flashing into existence for a moment. "Oh?" it- _he_ laughed, "and who are you to demand this, insect?"

Salem watched in vague amusement as Watts began wailing in agony, the Atlesian man collapsing to the floor and writhing in time to his screams. There was nothing wrong with him physically of course, but Salem was pleased to note that the Lord of Hunger knew enough about the soul to tear one in half without outright killing the victim - and if Watts' screams were anything to go by, Nihilus was also aware of how to draw out the agony to its fullest extent.

It was… refreshing, to see that someone else had come this far. Poor, stupid Ozpin had been making the same wretched mistakes since his first reincarnation - never looking to the abstract, never going beyond the already established paths to power. But this Nihilus, he had apparently tapped into the same well of power that she had so long ago. He couldn't be as strong as she, certainly, but he must be close.

"M-my lady…" Watts begged, "h-help…"

Salem ignored him. "So, my dear Nihilus, who are you?"

The triple-coloured light flickered, the image shifting into something altogether more human in appearance. The image was still hazy around the edges, but… Salem could see this must have been his original form.

Tall, if not for his hunched back and slack posture. Handsome, if not for the the three grisly scars that cleft his face in twain and left his eyes blind and colourless. In his hand a gnarled wooden cane formed to support the image, his hunched-over position making it necessary. And… ah, a prosthetic leg too, just a plain wooden attachment carved to look like a foot. Not even a mechanical prosthetic.

This was obviously just an image, as the body that he'd had during his appearance in Vale and Beacon had apparently crumbled to _dust_. But this must be what his original form looked like.

"Who am I?" the scarred man asked, utterly unheeding of Watts' continued whimpers. "I am no one. Nothing. All I am is want and desire."

Salem felt something stir in the air, as though something was whispered just beyond the range of perception. "And what," Salem queried, "do you desire?"

* * *

 **Grimmlands, present day…**

What did he desire? What a stupid question! She should know better, but the foolish little girl was blind to everything but herself. And for that, he would do as he'd always done.

There was no point now…

But he'd do it anyway.

Nihilus let the mirage of his old body lean forwards, as though to whisper into Salem's ear: "Everything. I want everything to _die."  
_

Before him Salem jerked, Nihilus' truest power grasping at her soul. He felt the claws of his spirit clutch at the broken creature, his power eclipsing hers greatly. "How long have you lived now?" he asked the insignificant witch, "ten thousand years? A million? You are _tiny_ compared to me."

Nihilus _flexed_.

Salem's body burnt away in an instant, ash exploding outwards as her soul was gripped by the might Nihilus forced onto her. She struggled, of course she did, writhing and flailing in agony as she tried to exert her own _tiny_ power onto Nihilus. It was almost amusing.

And really, the mere thought that she could oppose him. Even at her best, she was _nothing_ compared to him.

" _ **NO!"**_ her scream was furious, but underneath the rage Nihilus could feel the _fear._ _ **"I won't! I won't let you!"**_

"My life spans millennia, legions have risen to test me." Nihilus ripped Salem's soul in half, the untold torment of the act euphoric to him and agonising to her. "A day, a year, a millennium, it matters not. I hold the patience of stone and the will of stars, your life is nothing compared to _me._ "

Around him, Salem's castle and her little slave Watts ground away into ash under a mere moment's application of Nihilus' power. Salem struggled mightily against him, her fear of dying burning like a lighthouse. Her soul wailed and thrashed about in his all-consuming grip.

" _ **You can't kill me!"**_ the words were like music to him, the panic and surprise delicious. _**"I can't die, my work isn't finished!"**_

"Do you know what held you back?" Nihilus tore strips from her ancient soul, taking delight in devouring each shard as the rest of her _watched._ "You were _afraid_. You _feared_ dying, even after all they did to you. Even now you shiver in terror. That is your _failure._ Your striving is insignificant, let your death be the same!"

She screamed something, but whatever it was Nihilus didn't bother listening. Her soul was delicious, almost divine thanks to hold old it was. But for as outstanding a being as she was, she died just like everyone else did.

And in an instant, she was gone.

Everything died in the end.

Into the red and purple darkness of the Grimmlands, Nihilus laughed. It was just so funny, hilarious even. Salem was the 'one' being in all the worlds that even had the barest inkling of what his true power was, but she was always the same. Always biting off more that she could chew, always thinking that _she_ knew all.

She was… wrong.

But the Salem of this world had made for an amusing diversion. Her castle and her minion Watts were dead, but there were the other ones. Should he kill them too, perhaps? What were their names…? Cinder, how he hated her. The one he never met, Hazel. And the empty one, Tyrian. They should die.

Now.

What was one more soul to burn? One more life he could pass onwards… he was a God after all. It was his right to choose.

Reality folded, and Nihilus left.

Nihilus bled into existence before the man that killed his father and sisters, the insane scorpion Faunus not even reacting to his presence. The weakling was off somewhere in the wilds, but that didn't matter. He was about to die.

"Oh?" Tyrian asked, his eyes widening upon seeing the tri-coloured soul of Nihilus before him, "What is this?"

It was an act repeated so many times that the joy taken from it was muted, but Nihilus still felt a sliver of pleasure at ripping the man's soul from his body and eating it. It happened so quickly the mortal didn't even realise he had died.

A pity, he enjoyed it when they struggled.

Oh well, onto the next.

Reality folded, and Nihilus left.

Nihilus bled into existence before Hazel; the man had barely a moment to grunt before he died.

He died because Nihilus willed it. Life was snuffed out because he _wanted_ it.

He didn't bother eating this soul, for it had done no sin against him. Off to the petty little afterlife for Hazel.

What a wonderful world…

Reality folded, and Nihilus left.

Nihilus bled into the world before Cinder, his presence oozing around her like a miasma. The girl clutched and played with the broken armour of _his_ team RWBY, how cute. Had she been planning to recruit him again? Funny. But the time for Nihilus to indulge had passed, and Cinder would die.

There would be no Amity this time. No fall, and no semblance unlocked. Cinder had done much, but she served no purpose now with her master gone.

Or did she...?

The girl was pathetically weak in the grand scheme of things, horribly so when compared to Salem, let alone himself. But compared to the Lord of Betrayal? Now that would be interesting. The little wretch would go along with her plan, invade Beacon and search for her precious artifact that she so coveted, unknowing that her master was gone.

Little Jaune would play at being the hero again, but whether he would _win_ was another matter.

A test then, to see if the Lord of Betrayal was really worth the life he had. If he failed, then Nihilus would try again in a different world, a new one. If he succeeded…

Well, then Nihilus could finally let go.

But for now it was time to return to the wretched betrayer, to offer his poisonous wisdom to the boy in the vague hope that he would listen.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

Weiss was dreaming.

She knew she was dreaming.

Because it was just like last time.

" _Please, Weiss?"_

It was Ruby… but her voice was wrong. Older perhaps, but also… sadder. Like something was weighing her down.

" _Speak to him with me again. Please, I tried to get Blake but she said she couldn't do it. That she couldn't face him."_

 _She was shaking. Battle-worn hands quivering at the thought of a one-sided conversation with a once-friend._

It hurt so much, the way the thoughts and voices ate away at her. It was painful, Weiss hated it.

" _Okay, Ruby." She would do this. For her… and for him. "I'll be right next to you."_

Jaune. She needed Jaune. He could make it go away, make these damn visions leave her alone. Make it stop.

" _I'll set up the connection, I'm sure Penny will be happy to see you again."_

Where was he? Jaune? She needed him, to make the pain stop. Make the memories die.

 _"Salutations, Friend-Ruby and Friend-Weiss! It is a pleasure to see you!"_

" _Good evening, Penny."_

 _"Hi, Penny. Can we speak to Jaune?"_

" _Certainly! I know Friend-Jaune would be thrilled to have the two of you speak to him on his birthday!"_

 _His… birthday? She'd forgotten that he'd have that, even in the dark little hole that Ironwood kept him in. She felt no pity, not for one such as Jaune. But there was remorse. It would have been far kinder to let him die._

" _Happy Birthday, Jaune." Ruby was kind. But she was so cruel…_

 _ **Forced empathy.**_

 _ **Loneliness. Hatred.**_ _  
_

 _The chains weighed him down; his wrists, ankles and neck bound so tightly that he couldn't move more than a centimetre in any direction. His hair was long and lank, so long that it hung low and covered his face entirely. Skin sallow and pale, deathly from the bitter cold of the far northern Raven's Rock._

 _He looked like a corpse._

" _Hello, Jaune." Weiss wouldn't allow herself to pity him._

 _ **Hunger.**_

" _ **..."**_

 _She hated it when Jaune did that. The way his influence clawed at her even a world away._

" _I tried to get Blake like I promised," Ruby, why do you do this? Even now? "but she said she was busy. But you know her right? Probably just reading a book or something."_

 _ **Hatred. Longing. Rage. Regret.**_

 _Why did he do it? Why did he persist? What drove him? "Tell me Arc, do you… want to die?"_

" _Weiss!"_

 _Movement. Blind eyes raised up and staring. At her? Impossible._

 _ **HATRED. HUNGER. FURY.**_

 _ **Love.**_

" _Weiss! Don't. I'm sorry Jaune, she didn't mean it like that."  
_

 _Yes she did._

" _Well, we'd better go I suppose. Have a happy birthday, Jaune." Ruby was cruel, her kindness was only his misery._

" _Goodbye… Jaune."_

Weiss' eyes opened slowly, the raging pain of her headache searing through her mind.

It hurt…

But maybe there was an answer to be found within that pain. These visions, these voices… they were painful. But there were secrets to be found within them.

And maybe even a solution.

...

 **Beacon, many years ago…**

 **Two years after the Fall of Amity.**

 _Stronger._

A training bot split in two.

 _Faster._

Another exploded into a shower of sparks.

 _Better._

The final machine shattered in a flurry of rose petals, Crescent Rose utterly destroying it.

A buzzer rang through the room, jarring Ruby out of her concentration and bringing her to a stop.

"That was good Rubes, keep it up and he won't stand a chance."

Ruby lowered Crescent Rose and turned to face Yang, "What about our aura though?" she asked for what felt like the millionth time in the last two years, "What about his semblance?"

Yang tossed a water bottle to Ruby, the younger girl snatching it out of the air and drinking greedily. "We can deal with that when we come to it. For now we just need to train and get stronger so we can kill him."

Kill. Not beat. Not capture. Not apprehend, or throw in prison. None of that. Yang and Ruby knew what they wanted to do - some may have begun to forget about what happened on that wretched day two years ago, but they hadn't. They would never forget what that monster did to their uncle and father.

They would kill Jaune Arc.

They were heroes, after all. And heroes stopped the monsters.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

"Do you know why Miss Goodwitch brought you here, Mr. Arc?"

Not particularly, all he'd done was fight Cardin. A fight he'd won, actually. The woman in question paced around behind Ozpin like prowling predator, her sharp green gaze focussed on him while Jaune sat motionless in his chair. "More or less," Jaune answered eventually.

Ozpin leaned forward over his desk, his eyes peering at Jaune over his small glasses. "Do you? Explain to me what you think the issue is."

What kind of question was that? "I… suppose it was because I kept attacking after Cardin's aura went into the red or something?" And he basically tortured the other boy in front of the entire class, but eh, details.

" _I felt your rage. Your anger and hurt… it was delicious."_

"No, actually," Ozpin disagreed lightly, "technically you are not guilty of that at all. Mr Winchester's aura never dropped below fifty percent."

What? No, that wasn't possible. Jaune was sure of it, Cardin had been wailing like a dying animal. There was no way his aura had held through that - if it did, then why didn't it protect him? "What?" Jaune stumbled over his words, "No way, the way he was screaming-"

"Oh yes," Ozpin interrupted, "Mr Winchester must have been in truly exquisite agony, but his aura never entered the red zone. The reason you are here, Mr Arc, is because you fought in a way no student can be legally taught to fight."

Jaune stared at the Headmaster, confusion blossoming across his face. "What do you mean?" he asked incredulously, "How can a certain type of fighting be illegal?"

It was Goodwitch that answered this time, her riding crop slapping into her open palm sharply. "Because it's all but useless against the Grimm - it is a technique to kill hunters. And you used it in full view of the entire first year combat class!"

" _I quite enjoyed what you did, I found his screams soothing! HahaHA!"_

Jaune ignored him.

"I don't understand," Jaune shot back, "I didn't use any special move or ability! I just used Dust!"

"It is not a single technique," Ozpin continued off, much calmer than his employee, "but rather a certain approach to fighting that makes it extremely lethal to hunters in particular. To cause pain, Mr Arc, that is something the aura cannot - and should not - protect one from. It is a skill that was used much during the War, used against aura-users to the point where their agony became too great to bear. Skilled users of the ability were even able to kill hunters without ever taking their aura out of the green zone."

" _He says that as though he is guilt-free. As though it is the sins of others… but The Lord of Regret is a killer. He has snuffed out more lives than you by_ _far_. _Ozpin is a master of the technique."_

Jaune ignored the coiling _rot_ of Nihilus' spirit creeping around the room, but the words still stabbed at him. "But… no, that doesn't make sense. How was I using this… skill?"

"Perhaps, Mr Arc, _you_ were not?" Ozpin tilted his head and peered at Jaune closely, his gaze slightly unnerving. "Glynda, it was foolish to allow Mr Arc to participate in your class, especially given what he has told us about his rings."

The woman flinched. "Yes, I see that now. It will not happen again."

" _A shame. I wanted to hear more screams."_

Jaune was unsurprised; he had wrecked Cardin pretty thoroughly. He didn't exactly feel too bad about it though, he felt worse in knowing that he'd lost control again. That he'd proved Nihilus right and succumbed to the overwhelming power of the rings, just for what? Satisfaction? Petty recompense for wounded pride? Pathetic.

"Mr Winchester's wounds aren't fatal or permanent, so you are under no threat of expulsion or the like," Ozpin continued, "however, you are hereby banned from participating in combat class or sparring with your fellow students in any way. Do you understand, Mr Arc?"

Jaune nodded, it was probably for the best anyway. He'd probably just end up hurting them...

"The knowledge that the rings continue to hold sway over you is still important information, Mr Arc." Ozpin rose from his desk, his feet guiding him towards the window that overlooked the campus. "It may be distressing for you, but there are larger things at stake here. Terrible things…"

"Nihilus is dead," Jaune lied flatly, studiously ignoring the way the ghost oozed about the room like a cancer.

" _Dead? Perhaps, but you never knew me when I was alive."_

"Mr Arc…" Ozpin sighed, "Jaune. After much deliberation I have come to realise the greater depth of what exactly Nihilus was, of what he was capable of doing."

Not possible, Ozpin only met the man once. He didn't know what Nihilus was capable of _at all_.

Jaune didn't bother vocalising that though.

"Tell me Mr Arc, are you a… religious man?" Ozpin queried, an oddly strangled tone to his voice, "Have you heard of the religion of the Two Brothers? Of the God of Light and the God of Dark?"

" _Oh, talking about his dirty little secret are we? About Ozpin's greatest sin? I do so love this story…"_

What did this have to do with anything? He'd heard of it of course, but it was just some foolish old fairy tale. Utter nonsense. "I have," Jaune said cautiously, not really seeing where this was going. "But I don't see how it matters."

"Ozpin…" Glynda warned, her voice strained.

"He may have insights we do not, Glynda," Ozpin countered, "He is Nihilus' counterpart, after all."

" _Let Ozpin weave his tale, let us see how much truth the man tells."_

"What are you talking about?" Jaune demanded, his patience finally at an end.

Ozpin turned away from the window to regard Jaune. "Let me tell you a very, _very_ old story, Mr Arc. And please, do not interrupt."

Jaune nodded cautiously, his eyes narrowing on the ghostly form of Nihilus who was cackling in delight. Why was he so amused? Why was he laughing? And… what was Ozpin talking about?

Ozpin looked haunted as he began, his face twisted in grief such that Jaune hadn't ever seen before. "A very long time ago, in an age before the Kingdoms, before Dust, and before even the Grimm, there existed a small village. They practiced the maxims of Good Thoughts, Good Words, and Good Deeds through many prayers and ceremonies meant to bring them closer to the Gods of Light and Dark so they could distance themselves from evil."

" _They clung to their weak Gods, clutching at false idols as corrupt as they were._

Jaune ignored Nihilus and looked at Ozpin. That wasn't right. A time before the Kingdoms? Yeah, that was believable, society had to come from somewhere after all. But a time before Grimm? Such a thing… that was impossible. Grimm had always existed. Add to that The God of Light was meant to be the 'good' God, and the God of Dark was meant to be the 'evil' one - or at least that's how the modern interpretation of the religion was viewed.

"However," Ozpin continued, unheeding of Jaune's thoughts, "these people faced a dilemma - the belief that evil exists within all men, no matter how clean and righteous. Seeking a more pure existence, the village elder devised a way to rid them all of their inherent evil." The haunted look on Ozpin's face magnified, "That is, they intended to exclude one of their own and declare them the source of all the world's evil. As doing so would, according to their reasoning, transfer all evil into a single person, a single identity, a single symbol - one they could all blame for their transgressions."

"What kind of reasoning is that?!" Jaune spat. It reminded him all too much of things he'd rather forget. "That's-!"

Ozpin's gaze snapped to Jaune, and all at once Jaune fell silent. The weary look on the older man's face was… overpowering.

"While pathetic," Ozpin whispered as his head fell into his hands, "that is the path they chose. Of their village, they bound a single woman without even aura to protect her... and ritually tortured her into insanity. They carved onto her flesh every cursed word to force every imaginable sin unto her." Ozpin shivered, "W- They... extracted various pieces of her. The torture continued, she was... prevented from dying, _defiled_ by evil acts."

" _Do you want to know the best part? The part that Ozpin is hiding from you?"_

Jaune gaped. This story… this wasn't part of the religion, there wasn't even any mention of this. It was disgusting, horrible and sick. Even he knew that, as skewed as he was now. But… as terrible as it was, he still couldn't see what it had to do with Nihilus. The story didn't apply to him in any way.

"In that time, she came to loathe the world and the humans who senselessly tortured her." Ozpin looked absolutely _sick_ , like he was physically hurting just to tell the story. "Hatred became her default emotion. Her only salvation was to die from old age, but even in that solace she was cursed - going down in their history as the God of Evil… Salem."

" _Don't you see, Betrayer? How could Ozpin know this story? Salem was an interesting creature, she was powerful. Powerful enough to give poor old Ozpin a curse."_

The shade of Nihilus seeped into human form, the scarred face and crippled gait of the man juxtaposed with his thrilled grin. _"The little witch gave up a generous portion of her power to keep Ozpin alive, to grant him the curse of reincarnation. You see, Ozpin was_ _ **there**_ **.** _But it's worse than that._ _ **He**_ _was the village elder._ _ **He**_ _was the one to force that fate upon her._ _ **He**_ _was the one to create Salem."_

Jaune shuddered in disgust and revulsion. That… that couldn't be true. Could it? It was strange that Ozpin knew this, but for him to have actually been there? For him to have been to one to do all that to the woman, to this… Salem? Ozpin was a bigger monster than Jaune ever was. "Then what?" Jaune demanded, "what happened?

Ozpin shuddered, "Then… something happened. Her body was to be destroyed… but then she came _back_."

All at once, Jaune realised how this story applied to Nihilus. This woman, this… Salem had died and come back, just as Nihilus had. Had Nihilus somehow done as she did? And… if she truly was like Nihilus, then… where was she now? Nihilus had spoken of her in past tense, as though she were gone. But as Nihilus himself showed, being _gone_ amounted to very little.

"Born again with terrible new power and an undying hatred for humanity, Salem eradicated those that had wronged her, utterly annihilating the the village using not only her own power, but the power of the Grimm she created - beasts of pure malefic design." Ozpin… was Ozpin crying? "But her hatred was not sated there; she realised that she did not want humanity to die, she wanted us to _suffer_."

Jaune shuddered. Why was it so cold in here all of a sudden?

"With her newfound power, Salem drove away the Gods of Light and Dark, and she pushed humanity to the edge of extinction. But then she stopped; she let us rebuild and feel hope once more." Ozpin looked up to Jaune, his eyes bloodshot, "You see, Jaune, Salem came to believe that hope was her greatest weapon. She let us feel hope, then she destroyed us. Reduced humanity to the stone age once more. Again and again she let us build and grow, only to drive us to the brink of extinction. She used hope because she knew that the act of tearing it away hurt worse than any physical wound."

Jaune was silent for a moment, his eyes staring into the Headmaster. This was heavy, and it was made all the worse by the fact that Ozpin had concealed his actual involvement in the atrocity that he was describing. "...Why are you telling me this?" Jaune asked eventually.

Ozpin sunk low into his chair, his eyes dark. "I fear, Mr Arc, that Nihilus may be a far greater monster than we thought. And… I fear he may still be alive."

Behind Ozpin, Nihilus laughed.

* * *

 **Mineshaft, many years ago…**

 **Two years after the Fall of Amity.**

"Happy birthday, Jaune!"

Jaune smiled and raised his drink to meet the drinks of his father and sister. "Thanks, guys."

He tried not to grimace at the taste.

Two years… he sure hoped he wouldn't spend the rest of his life in the dark.

* * *

1237

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Many things happened this chapter, including the inglorious death and origin of Salem. How's that for a turnaround? Nihilus kills Salem with relative ease while Ozpin spends ages going on about how unbelievably powerful she is. Way to ruin her image.**

 **But her death is only the death of the Salem of the present day timeline, the original Salem from Nihilus' world has still got stuff in store for her. So we haven't** _ **technically**_ **seen the end of her yet.**

 **Reviews:**

 **Guest:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Don't worry, it was** _ **fairly**_ **subtle.**

 **Guest:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Yes, I suppose she is. But there is a difference between being intelligent and being wise.**

 **Folower:** **  
**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **A very Merry Christmas to you too.**

 **Well you certainly got your wish didn't you? Salem was** _ **owned**_ **by Nihilus. That literally couldn't have been more one-sided.**

 **REALLY12:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Big questions that have big implications for the story. In short yes, Nihilus can bend reality to his will. As for how powerful actually is... spoilers. Nihilus is the most powerful character by a very, very, very large margin - as you saw this chapter.**

 **ZHsteven:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Trust me, Nihilus has no particular desire to be a glorified slave to anyone. Just because Salem schemes of Nihilus serving her it doesn't mean it will happen. For the time being Nihilus is more interested in watching and testing Jaune, not playing around with someone far weaker than him.**

 **And trust me, Salem didn't enjoy meeting Nihilus.**

* * *

 **Thanks for reading, and don't forget to review!**


	38. Cruel Kindness

Wraith

Chapter Thirty Eight

Beta: Smithrooks

Cruel Kindness

 **Beacon, present day…**

Nihilus wasn't sure he liked this world.

Nihilus let himself wander the corridors of Beacon unseen, idly keeping an eye on the Betrayer as the worm attempted to sleep. Not that it was forthcoming, apparently.

But this world was different. Not in a good way, but not in a particularly bad way either. Some part of him longed to see the land, to walk the roads and to meet the people. Another part of him wanted to burn down cities and become even more powerful. The rest of him just wanted to kill Ironwood and be done with it.

But instead he did nothing.

How repulsive.

What had he come to? How many years had it been since he'd done _nothing_? There had been many years of _waiting_ \- but that was different than nothing. That had purpose. But what did he have now? He could watch and observe the tricky little Betrayer, but what did that amount to?

He didn't understand the Betrayer. He wanted all the power in the world, and yet he denied himself? He wanted to be a hero and save others, but he sat and did nothing? Nihilus could have given him the strength to do both these things, to reach beyond what was otherwise possible. But he'd denied it. Robbed Nihilus of the last family he had left.

What made the Betrayer tick? What drove him? His soul was far too broken to see clearly through, so taking a look would amount to very little.

"I-it hurts!"

The wail of a mortal broke through Nihilus' thoughts. Its pitch was unmistakably male, and altogether very familiar to the old Arc.

Had he really forgotten the layout of Beacon? After so many years…? No matter. Nihilus didn't particularly mind that he'd found himself in the infirmary. Not like it would matter anyway - the only one with any chance of seeing him was the Betrayer, he was invisible to all others.

"Damn it, that shit hurts!" Cardin clutched at his charred eyes as the school doctor rubbed burn cream in them. "A-ah! Damn it!" 

Nostalgic to 'see' Cardin again after so many years. The boy wasn't as Nihilus remembered him - the changes were small. His soul sang a slightly different tune to what Jaune's old partner did. In fact he-

No Jaune! No no no! He was Nihilus. Not him, never him anymore.

Nihilus felt his spirit tremble for a moment. How could he slip up? How could he have used that wretched name for even a moment?

No, it didn't matter now.

Cardin groaned in pain as the doctor finally left him, the boy leaning back into his bed blindly. The blindness was temporary of course, but no less painful.

...Nihilus didn't like it.

Perhaps it was mere nostalgia, or perhaps it was something else he'd long since forgotten. But Nihilus wasn't enjoying seeing Cardin's suffering as much as he usually enjoyed the suffering of others.

This boy was never his partner; never stood beside him at Amity, never needed his help in Forever Fall, never helped him out of the Emerald Forest for no other reason than concern for a fellow hunter.

But this boy was still Cardin Winchester.

Unseen, Nihilus swept closer to the still whimpering teen, his ghostly hand coming to a stop just over the boy's eyes. Should he? He would never admit it to the Betrayer, lest he demonstrate his namesake again and kill Cardin, but perhaps a simple kindness was in order…

Silently, Nihilus drew the pain away from the boy, his old soul mending the wounds the Betrayer had caused and soothing the troubled emotions of his old friend.

"Wha-"

" _Sleep."_

He was unconscious a moment later.

Cardin was healed; come the morning, the boy would find his injuries miraculously gone.

Was it kindness or cruelty that drove Nihilus to do this? As deeply as he looked into his own soul, he couldn't tell. The answer was shrouded from him.

But… perhaps that was okay. For now, he was just content in knowing that he'd eased a troubled soul that he'd wronged.

 **Beacon, present day…**

Jaune rolled over.

Nora snored.

Ren was silent.

Pyrrha muttered.

And Jaune rolled over again.

Sleep just wasn't coming to him. The things Ozpin had told him were crazy, but the whole situation with Nihilus was crazy, so what was one more thing?

But to think of that woman, this Salem and the torture she went through... just for what? So a much younger Ozpin could absolve himself of some perceived guilt? Pathetic and disgusting.

" _It's never enough, is it? Just when you think humanity has done its_ _worst,_ _you find a monster like the Lord of Regret lurking. Or a monster like you."_

That was another reason he couldn't sleep.

But Nihilus also wasn't entirely wrong. Ozpin was as bad as Jaune himself, if not worse because the man had done his atrocities on purpose. At least the man seemed to feel guilty about it.

" _Ozpin doesn't regret that he did it, he regrets the consequences of what he did. There is a difference, you wretch."_

And wasn't that distressing. Apparently, despite the absurd amount of time that had passed, Ozpin _still_ believed in those piddling little Gods of his. The fool still believed that they were guiding him and that he was doing the right thing.

Or so Nihilus said anyway.

" _You really should just kill them a-"_

Jaune's eyes snapped open as he felt something wash over him, an invisible power gently prickling at his soul. Around him the dark dorm room bled away silently, white streaks of utter _nothing_ oozing into existence until Jaune was alone in the emptiness. Gone was the quiet and dark dorm room, now there was just whiteness all around him.

"It's been a while."

Jaune whipped around at the sound of the voice, the near-forgotten feeling of hope blooming in his chest.

The Fragment stared at him.

The Memory, the one that first explained Nihilus to Jaune and Pyrrha back in the miserable caves at Dorme, the one that claimed to be Nihilus' happiest memory.

But… it looked different than before. Gone was the exact mirror image of Jaune, this one looked like-

"I take it you can actually see me then?" the memory asked, horribly scarred face and blank eyes staring at Jaune dully. "I wondered if you'd be able to this time."

It looked just like Jaune, except… not. It looked like _Nihilus_. Not the body Jaune had known Nihilus in, but rather what Nihilus actually looked like - the Nihilus that Jaune 'killed' just after the last member of the alternate RWBY died.

Glassy blind eyes and a face cleft in twain by three massive scars. The man looked haggard though, his posture slack and bent as he leant heavily on a simple wooden cane to support himself. "What happened to you?" Jaune demanded, distraught at seeing the memory so horribly damaged. "Why do you look like that?"

The scarred head tilted to the side. "I always looked like this. This is the appearance I had during the memory I was made from. You just saw what you wanted to see. You saw what you thought another Jaune would look like."

"What changed then?" Jaune asked in slight distress, "How come I'm seeing you this way now?"

The horrid face of the Memory split into a smile. "Because you don't expect anything anymore. Life or death, beauty or ugliness, you don't force your perceptions onto the world. You have accepted apathy into your soul."

Jaune stared. Accepted apathy? That wasn't true, he still cared… but-

The bar.

It struck Jaune like a sledgehammer. The bar, the woman… she was robbing the place, threatening the owner. And what had he done? He'd told her that he didn't care so long as she didn't involve him. And again with Cardin… there was no guilt at what he'd done in the arena. In fact, Jaune felt more distraught that his team may be upset with him than upset over doing the actual deed itself.

Was this what it meant? This was the apathy that it spoke of? "And what about it?" Jaune questioned quietly, "Is this what you wanted to speak to me about? My apathy?"

The blind man before him chuckled lightly, the light and airy sound at odds with his fearsome visage. "No, but watch yourself. Apathy is an excellent trait to have in moderation, but if you let it seep into your own ideals then it becomes a poison." 

Mindless rhetoric. Jaune withheld his scoff at the nonsense. What did this shadow even know? It was just a memory of something- some _one_ , dead and gone. It didn't-

Jaune choked.

The hand tightened around his throat.

"You forget," the Memory said cheerfully as he strangled Jaune with a single hand, "in this place I see your mind as clearly as words on a page. And you forget just who I am."

The hand that was holding him loosened and Jaune fell to his knees, his hands rubbing his neck as he gasped for breath. That… loathe as he was to admit it, the Memory had a point. This wasn't just anyone he was talking to; this was a precursor of Nihilus. A being that can touch the same power.

Basically a God then.

"You begin to understand," it laughed good-naturedly in spite of its actions, "Good. But that is not why I arranged this; we have much to discuss. There is still a chance you can end this."

Jaune pushed himself to his feet, ignoring that the ground was just as white and featureless as everything else in the hellish void. "W-what do you mean?" 

The Memory sighed.

Colour and life bled into the world around them, the white void dying an ugly death as a fictional reality came into focus.

A snowy hell.

It was an icy hillside, snow and frost covering everything in a layer of thin white. But it didn't do anything to hide the mounds of bodies and the pools of frozen blood all around them, the red and white contrasting hellishly as snow gently fell. But… something was wrong. A thick, cloying mist covered the area, so Jaune couldn't see more than a few metres all around him.

It was sickening.

"This is the hell of Nihilus. His inner soul, the place he calls home," the Memory was smiling. "If you stay on your current path, you will end up here."

Jaune looked around wildly. This hell wasn't what he wanted, not now or ever. "You're lying. There's no way I'll become like him!"

The scarred Arc tilted his head, "Become like him? Like me? Oh no, that's quite impossible now. There isn't enough left of you, Umbra."

Umbra? What did he-

"You see, you're a broken little thing. Powerful in a very narrow way, and special in only one regard." The Memory poked Jaune in the chest with his cane, a genuinely remorseful look crossing his mangled face, "Through my design, you showed Nihilus that you and he are profoundly different. In killing Violet, you rejected all the ideals that Nihilus accepts. You showed that you're not the same person."

Jaune threw his hands into the air with disgust. "And look where that got me!" he spat as his anger and resentment swelled. "I get to live in a waking nightmare with Nihilus constantly by my side; I feel like I'm rotting from the inside, like I can't feel anything anymore that isn't painful!"

Jaune panted. It felt nice to speak about it, even just to rant. What right did the Memory have to judge him? What gave it the right to dictate?

"Life is suffering," the Memory replied easily. "Your life, my life, it doesn't matter. One cannot experience joy without sorrow. I am truly sorry about what has happened to you; if there was another option I would have taken it."

"And what is that meant to mean!?" Jaune roared. "Why can't you ever give me a straight answer?! Why is it so difficult to just come out and say whether or not it is possible for me to kill Nihilus?!"

The stench of blood and the aching cold stabbed at Jaune but he ignored it, just as he ignored the mounds of corpses around him. The Memory had never given him a straight answer, not really. But Jaune was done playing games. He was done reacting to things, he wanted to start acting for himself.

The Memory smiled tiredly, "I'm sorry, I'm so, _so_ sorry. But... you alone will never have the power to stop Nihilus." 

Jaune slumped to the ground. Of course…

In a way it was almost relieving, knowing that he had no chance. No way to ever fully remove the cancerous influence of Nihilus from the world. It was like the responsibility was being lifted from his shoulders. He'd always known that he was no match for Nihilus in raw power or ability, but to know there was no chance for even the most minor of victories was… oddly comforting.

But it meant failure. Failure to save anyone. Failure to become a hero in even the most pathetic sense. He couldn't even beat himself…

Laughter bubbled from Jaune's lips as he kneeled on the ice. There was never a point to fighting Nihilus, not even any point to surviving him in the first place. Never a reason, never a hope. All the pain, all the suffering, for what? A sick little joke from Nihilus himself? Or perhaps on the part of the Memory? Maybe even little Violet had been in on it?

"Is this it then?" Jaune questioned from the frigid ground with a chuckle. "You came to mock me? Take joy in my suffering? Ha, well go right ahead. I'll laugh with you."

Jaune closed his eyes as another morose laugh bubbled from his lips; to think Jaune had once been arrogant enough to think that he could stop Nihilus. To think that the actions he took after Nihilus killed Ruby would actually change anything. How cute. There was no stopping him. No changing or redirecting him. Nothing.

"I didn't come to laugh at you. I came because the rest of my solution needs you to _feel_. If you die now, then Violet will have died in vain and you and I will have failed to stop Nihilus."

Jaune's eyes snapped to the wretchedly scarred form of the Memory. Solution…? A solution? To Nihilus? Didn't he just say that there wasn't one? That there wasn't a point because Jaune could never beat him?

The cripple settled onto the icy ground beside Jaune, the cloying mist around them parting for a moment as he plopped to the ground. "The problem with people is that they never _think_. You are no better. Think Jaune, where did you first meet Nihilus? How did you first interact with him?"

Jaune shook his head. "Why does that matter? It was in Forever Fall after his little rampage in the city. My team and team RWBY heard a scream in the forest and when we went to investigate we found Nihilus… surrounded by… Grimm…"

Oh… but why?

"Finally beginning to understand?" the Memory smiled manically, "Finally using that head of yours to _think?_ Ask yourself, why was he in the forest in the first place? What reason did he have to go there? _"_

Grimm. Why would Nihilus be afraid of Grimm? Why would he be afraid of anything? He _wasn't_. Nihilus was literally immortal, he could literally bleed the entire world dry if he wanted to. So why was he afraid of the Grimm? And why was he in Forever Fall? There was nothing there but trees and dirt.

Jaune cradled his head in his hands. How had he been so _thick?_ How hadn't he seen this?

He'd been manipulated all along.

"It's because he wasn't afraid of the Grimm," the Memory answered the unspoken words, "he wasn't even conscious at the time. _I_ was. I controlled the body, Nihilus dreamt. He's quite the sleep talker."

"No…" Jaune whispered, "that can't be right…"

"But it's true," the Memory countered. "All dreams end when the dreamer awakens. For Nihilus, he awoke to find you and Pyrrha with him in a deep dark little mineshaft. From there it was as simple as doctoring a few of the memories to make him believe he'd done it. That _he_ chose to take you and Pyrrha with him. All was going according to the plan the others and I made, you did your part well."

It wasn't anger, nor was it shame or sorrow that Jaune found himself consumed with, but something altogether more overwhelming as he looked at the scarred face and blind eyes of his counterpart. A pawn. He was a pawn all along. All his suffering and all of his misery… just at the bidding of another. "Others?" Jaune choked out.

"Look around you," the memory whispered guiltily, "finally see what I hid from you."

Jaune was still reeling from the knowledge that he was just a pawn in a larger game. The knowledge that he'd been used. But despite that Jaune obeyed, his eyes leaving the Memory towards the army of corpses.

The mist and ice around them was choking and thick, but Jaune ignored it and edged closer to the nearest body. The face was hard to make out, so covered in ice and frost as it was. With gentle wipes of his hand, Jaune brushed the snow away and-

Blonde hair, blue eyes.

Jaune's eyes widened. No, that couldn't be possible. That couldn't be.

The mist around them parted, the mounds giving way to mountains of corpses. Jaune looked at them all, his eyes spying _six_ bodies that he just… just _knew_ were...

Blonde hair, blue eyes.

Six of them. Each slightly different, but all the same.

Jaune Arc.

The Memory chuckled sadly as six glowing white lights seeped into existence around him, the sound warm despite the frigid air. "This isn't the first alternate world Nihilus entered, it's the seventh. These… are you." 

The lights twitched happily, all of them oozing a friendly feeling that was almost alien to Jaune. These were him? These were other alternate versions of him? Why…? What was the point? Why was the Memory showing him this? "Why tell me?" Jaune asked finally.

The snowy hellscape around them withered and vanished, the icy cold fading away as the world seemed to shift. Mere seconds after it began it was over, the icy purgatory replaced with… a beach?

Jaune recognised it. It was the beach he'd first been pulled into when Nihilus offered him his full power. The beach where he'd spoken to the not-Pyrrha. Except… it was sunny now, the gentle waves lapping at his feet peacefully and the smell of the sea just barely noticeable.

The lights of the deceased Jaunes swelled brightly as the Memory spoke, "Because, Jaune, you will be the one to guide Nihilus to the afterlife. You will be the one to finally lay him to rest."

Jaune felt like screaming.

…

 **Mineshaft, many years ago…**

 **Two years, one month after the Fall of Amity.**

They were all screaming at him.

One thousand, two hundred and thirty-seven.

Jaune was alone, but he wasn't. He had one thousand, two hundred and thirty-seven souls with him. He'd known before of course, it was hard to miss. But for the first time since Jaune had first come to after his father brought him here, Jaune was letting all the souls he'd stolen pass through him.

He'd been deaf to them for over two years now - out of fear perhaps, a fear of whatever judgement they may hold.

But he was wrong. There was no judgement, no anger, no hatred.

Just screaming.

Jaune could feel it, unlike any sound he'd ever heard before. Something that simply didn't exist physically and yet was still present nonetheless. They were screaming, all one thousand, two hundred and thirty-seven souls.

The worst part was counting them. He'd been doing it for hours, alone in the dark with nothing but screams for comfort. It could drive a person mad. They were wailing, not words, but in agony unimaginable to Jaune.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, tears seeping down his ruined face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I…"

There was no point even saying anything. For all their screams, for all the torment Jaune was listening to… they were dead. They couldn't hear him, they couldn't understand that he'd never meant to. All the souls he had, they weren't aware. They were just empty husks of what- _who_ they used to be. They were hollow.

It had been two years, but it still hurt so much. Sometimes the pain was dulled, swept aside by distractions like Violet and John. But when Jaune sat alone in the dark, when he had only his own inner demons for comfort, all the guilt made him feel like he was drowning.

But it had been two years. Two years. As guilty as Jaune felt, he knew he couldn't go on like this.

One soul, a random burgundy-coloured one, was gently pulled from the rest. Jaune felt sick as it writhed and wailed wordlessly in his grasp. There were no words, no cries for help or pleas for mercy. Just screaming as Jaune removed it from the torrent of his own inner spirit.

From here he had a choice; let the soul go, the mindless yet tormented thing set to return to him and all the other twisted dregs of humanity within him. Or… he could bind it to something.

The choices were thus. There was no inbetween. He'd tried, _so many times_ to just remove the souls that swirled torrentially within him. But they were dead and mindless. Upon removal they just returned to him. They didn't move on to whatever passed as the afterlife. They didn't fade away. They just came back.

But not this one. This one was going to be different, Jaune was sure of it.

He had so many books with him now, all from his sister and father when they read to him. They would serve as his anchors. One soul per book.

Jaune took the random burgundy soul tightly in his hand. Some small part of him desperately cried out to eat it, to devour it once more. But Jaune wouldn't have it. He wanted the screaming to stop, to free the poor souls that he'd stolen.

With a sob, Jaune slammed the soul into the nearest book, the reddish light struggling and writhing violently as he wrapped it around the tome numerous times. "I'm sorry," he cried as he mutilated the once beautiful soul. "I'm so, _so_ sorry."

The wails died slowly as the book warmed within his hands. The soul was taking to it, taking to the empty and lifeless vessel. Was it a kind thing? Was it the right thing to do? Jaune didn't know. But he knew he couldn't deal with all the guilt of keeping the souls within him. He had to get rid of them.

Jaune pressed his forehead to the oddly warm book as he cried. Right or wrong, he had to do it. He'd go insane otherwise.

" _I'm sorry. I'm so,_ so _sorry."_

All at once, Jaune felt as though lightning passed through his body.

That was his voice.

The burgundy soul was calm now, lucid as it gently flowed around within the book. But… there was something different. Almost as though it were mirroring Jaune himself.

Gently, almost cautiously, Jaune let his own aura drip onto the book for a moment.

" _I'm sorry. I'm so,_ so _sorry."_

A mirror.

That's what it was. A mirror of Jaune's soul, almost perfect if not for the colour. It was just repeating what he said. What he'd cried into the soul.

One thousand, two hundred and thirty-six.

This was it. This was all he could do… perhaps it was merely a different prison to force upon them. But all the souls… he could remove them all. Every single one of them.

It would just take some time.

" _I'm sorry. I'm so,_ so _sorry."_

And perhaps… perhaps he could still help the world. The things Jaune knew about aura now went far beyond what Beacon ever taught, far beyond even what Ozpin had taught Jaune after initiation. Was this to be his path to redemption? Maybe…

One thousand, two hundred and thirty-six.

…

 **Vale, present day…**

Cinder threw her scroll down.

Nothing.

Something was terribly wrong.

Why wasn't Salem answering her?

…

1236

…

 **A/N**

 **So things are finally starting to explain themselves! Remember those books from way back in the earlier chapters? And the book that Ozpin found a few chapters ago? Well this is their origin - created by a boy crying over something he couldn't change.**

 **Lovely, isn't it?**

 **Anyway it's about thirty-five degrees (celcius) where I am right now and I'm melting. Let's get on with the reviews:**

 **Follower:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Yes! Someone noticed it! Nihilus never quite managed to kill the idealist within him, despite his best attempts. However, it won't be that simple. Nihilus is basically certain that Jaune will lose and that he'll be proven right once again, and more than that Nihilus isn't the only player in the game with foreknowledge. There are several factors at work here. They may not have to beat him, but they don't know that.**

 **Good job picking that.**

 **The Powder Keg:**

 **Thanks for reviewing, and sorry for the delayed response from me.**

 **The absorption of the Maiden soul of Amber and Cinder had a huge effect on Nihilus. But bear in mind who actually said that - the alternate RWBY were wrong about a great many things. As for when Nihilus absorbed Ozpin's soul, well you saw what was 'left' of his soul back in chapter 30. Nihilus gutted it and attempted to use it to recreate Pyrrha. He failed.**

 **Whether Nihilus is stronger than Ozpin was when he had the full might of his magic and wizardry. YES. There is almost no point of comparison: Wizard Ozpin was absurdly powerful for a man, Nihilus isn't a man anymore. He's a God. If the two were to come to blows then Ozpin would most likely be able to remove whatever body Nihilus was using, but then Nihilus would just do what he did to Salem.**

 **Good questions though!**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing. Twice.**

 **Ah to be in love, I'd almost say I'm jealous!**

 **"I hear you… I feel you. Are you eager, Betrayer? To rip, rend and tear?" Good job catching the Doom reference, I was wondering if anyone would get it.**

 **As for whether Nihilus has killed Tyrion more than twice... well, who ever said that this is the first alternate world Nihilus has entered?**

 **ZHsteven:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Ozpin did make a mistake, but not in telling Jaune. He still thinks that Jaune might hold some kind of solution to the problem Nihilus, and by extension, Salem pose. The mistake is in thinking that Nihilus wasn't keeping an eye on things.**

 **As for Nihilus you are correct, his weakness is arrogance. He believes that he cannot be wrong. Whether Jaune is intelligent to take advantage of this is another matter entirely.**

 **Jaune Black Smudge:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Yes, Salem is the equivalent of Angra Mainyu. However, all that makes her is a terribly wronged woman.**

 **As for Ren and Nora: for the most part, Nihilus simply doesn't care about them. They of note only for the fact that they shared a team with Pyrrha (of his world) before he killed them. The Ren and Nora of Jaune's world don't really matter to him either - their only significance being that they share a team with Jaune.**

 **Regarding the Relics and Maidens... without spoiling anything, Nihilus thinks the Relics are hilarious and the Maidens vaguely irritating depending on who exactly it is.**

…

 **Thank you all for reviewing! I don't get many so I love each and everyone I get from you guys! That being said, feel free to leave another!** **  
**


	39. Shadow Dancing

Wraith

Chapter Thirty Nine

Beta: Smithrooks

Shadow Dancing

 **Beacon, unknown, present day…**

"Why me?" Jaune begged to his counterparts, "why does it have to be me?"

One of the souls came closer to him, the warm white light at odds with the harsh white snow around them. The gentle pulses of light it gave off were almost hypnotic, but Jaune wasn't tricked. He knew there was more to this than meets the eye.

"Why?" the Memory of Nihilus questioned. "You're just unlucky. It had to be someone, and you just happened to be the sacrifice."

Jaune chuckled weakly. "Sacrifice? Is that what I am to you? Is that why you made Nihilus take me?"

It made sense, in a horrible sort of way. He didn't know what he was being sacrificed for, but to expend six different Jaune Arcs to get it…?

All at once, Jaune felt all of the souls of his counterparts brush against him. It was a sensation unlike anything he'd ever felt before - as though he was burning from the inside, like he'd swallowed a star.

Joy. Happiness. Friendship. Fulfillment. Contentment. Love.

It was emotion, but there was nothing attached to it. Like… like the rings. But instead of hatred or sorrow, it was… nice. Positive emotions brushed past him, just barely scratching the surface but still hot enough to scorch him in ways Jaune didn't understand.

There were other emotions mixed in; melancholy, sadness… but they were minor. To look at them would be to ignore the majority of what he was feeling - to ignore what these counterparts of his had felt in their lifetimes.

"I think I understand," Jaune whispered as he felt the souls swell around him.

They were empty, and whatever consciousnesses belonged to these alternate Jaunes had passed a long time ago. But Jaune could tell what these were for. All these 'Jaunes' were old. They didn't die in pain or distress, they didn't lead lives overwhelmed with hardship and suffering. Whatever anguish they faced was insignificant compared to the overall joy they found by the end of their lives.

Jaune might have even called it beautiful, were he not so envious.

"Do you?" the Memory of Nihilus questioned softly into the snowy air. "What I - _we_ \- are asking you to do will mean your death."

Once, what felt like years ago but was really only weeks, Jaune might have been afraid of that. But now… he wouldn't welcome it, but he would see to the task set out before him by his predecessors. Even if it meant death.

"If it means an end to Nihilus," Jaune agreed. "I'll do it."

Not for the greater good. Not because it was the 'right' thing to do. But because he felt that Nihilus had lived for long enough. Because all things must die in the end.

"Nihilus knows you," The Memory smiled. "Or he thinks he does. He believes that you've given up, that you drown in misery. He would know, because that is what he felt - what drove him into the world-eater that he is now."

Jaune raised his hand and brushed it against the closest soul, exquisite joy filling him for just the barest fraction of a second. "Looking at these souls, I can't help but feel he is wrong."

"For them, perhaps," the Memory agreed. "They all lived their lives either unaware of Nihilus or simply uninvolved. When the time is right, when Nihilus sees fit to test you again, he will look into your soul expecting to find despair and anguish. But for all your hardship, he will find only these emotions - _that_ is how will kill him. Not through battle or bloodshed, but by showing him that even one as damaged as you can find happiness."

There was perhaps an insult in that somewhere, but Jaune didn't care for it. An end to all the suffering, all the anguish and hardship that had plagued his life since coming to Beacon. Was it a cowardly thing to do? To accept dying and moving on without really trying at life? Perhaps, but he'd already died once before. To be here now felt wrong, as though he were being stretched too thin. Like there wasn't enough of him left anymore.

"Who were they?" Jaune asked, "What kind of lives did they lead? Not that it'll change anything, but I'd like to think that somewhere, somehow, a Jaune Arc lived a good life."

"The first never left for Beacon," one of the souls flared in response to the Memory's words. "He lived the life his father hoped he would. He lived joyously, had a wife and kids, and died an old man surrounded by hordes of grandchildren all crying at his bedside. He greeted death like an old friend, but he allowed me this last kindness to give to another."

Jaune almost felt jealous. It was the life he could have had, once upon a time. But he'd made his choice. There was no going back.

"Another became a hunter because his father trained him from an early age," the Memory went on, a second soul brightening brilliantly. "He endured the rigours of being a huntsman, and came out stronger for it. He loved his wife more than the world itself, and though he died young he promised that he would endure any suffering to save his love. When he died, I offered him a chance to save his love again. He promised that no Ruby Rose would ever suffer while he could stop it."

Ruby, huh? That was the life he'd dreamed of when he'd wished to become a hunter, to live and die as a hero.

Another soul glowed vibrantly. "The third had a life fraught with hardship, losing his family at a young age and losing his memory soon after. But through his suffering he eventually found his own fulfillment. He found his own reasons for doing what he did, and while he may have driven many to despair, this Jaune found his own solace. He died fulfilled and satisfied with his life. When I asked for his aid, he made me promise I wouldn't allow another Jaune do as he did."

Ah, a tragic type then. One drowning in hardship but still rooted in empathy, if his last request is to be believed. Not a life Jaune would have wanted, but one he could respect.

"The fourth carved out a name and reputation for himself." The soul closest to Jaune hummed as the Memory spoke. "He dreamed of a world where he was a hero, and a world where no one cried. This Jaune found no single love, because he loved the world itself. But he was too weak to save the world he loved; so I granted him power enough to fulfill his dream of a tearless world, a world where his friends would never have to suffer, and in return he promised his soul to me so that he may save another world."

Jaune sighed with a weak smile. Sounds like a fool really, but it was the kind of fool that Jaune used to love.

"The fifth was a man determined to right wrongs and achieve great things." Another soul glowed. "He spent his life devoted to bridging the gap between humanity and the Faunus. Though he never achieved his dream in its entirety, he found his own happiness as he and his wife dedicated their lives for something altogether larger than themselves. When he died, Jaune Belladonna asked only to one day see a world where all beings are equal."

Jaune Belladonna? Dying with a pretty huntress for a wife wasn't a bad way to go. And true to Arc fashion, the man kept dreaming of a better tomorrow even as the present rotted. "And the sixth?" Jaune asked, melancholic humour bubbling within him.

"The sixth was a nothing and a nobody," the Memory laughed as the last soul shone like a star. "But he was my favourite. He never became famous, or powerful or skilled. This man did what he wanted to do and he lived by his own standards. He died an ignoble death and lived a life many would find wanting. In the end, this Jaune died utterly content. When I asked for his help to put an end to Nihilus he came gladly, not out of desperation to live, but because he thought I was amusing."

Jaune withheld his faintly amused scoff. That Jaune sound like an ass. But a content one at least, and for that Jaune could admit he was jealous.

But they were just stories now. The essence of who they were may linger, but the beings themselves had moved on. Were they happy? Or was the afterlife something to be feared…? Not that it would make a difference at this point, but Jaune felt that since he was going to play the part of sacrificial lamb he could at least be told the answer.

"Where will I go?" Jaune questioned idly. It wasn't like the answer would change his mind, but he was curious. "After I fade away, after someone like Nihilus can't resurrect me I mean."

Around them the snowy hellscape of corpses began to disintegrate, the world slowly burning away under something unseen to Jaune. It was pretty, in a terribly sad kind of way.

"Where? That's a good question." The voice of the Memory was growing quieter. "Nihilus never discovered that. But… I hope it's somewhere nice, somewhere Nihilus can see his wife and daughter again. And where he can meet these other Jaunes, so he can hear their stories."

Jaune smiled. Yeah, that would be nice.

The image of the scarred Memory faded away entirely as the world dissolved.

In the blink of an eye, Jaune found himself back in his dorm room, the quiet sounds of his team gentle audible in the background as he adjusted to the darkness.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

Nihilus could admit that not much made him feel guilty these days.

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

This…. this brought the slightest twinge of guilt.

Healing the Winchester boy some hour or so earlier had killed a little bit of boredom, but in the nights when the Betrayer slept Nihilus could admit to some level of restlessness. It wasn't the same as _waiting_. Because waiting implied an end result, something to wait _for_. But what did he have? Wait for the Betrayer to awaken, whisper things in the boy's ear until he slept again. Then repeat.

What the hell was taking Cinder so long? Couldn't she see that he had a busy schedule?! Nihilus had things to do! Murders to commit and Ironwoods to kill!

Wait, no he didn't. That's why he was doing _nothing_.

"Just stop!"

Oh wait, that's right. There was _something_.

" _You're worthless. Nothing. Nobody!"_

The tiny form of a distinctly more child-like Weiss Schnee trembled as more shadowy figures screamed at her. Unsurprising, considering she looked about four or five years old.

" _Why didn't you stop Ruby, Weiss? Why didn't you save my daughter?"_

It was a dream of course, a nightmare at that. So not terribly interesting for one such as he, at least normally. But little Weiss was a damaged creature, not terribly broken like the Betrayer, but fundamentally wounded in a way beyond the physical.

 _That_ was why Nihilus felt guilt. The soul was a gorgeous thing to behold, something unfettered by anything other than the mortal that claimed it. Little Weiss was an exception, however, as there were… pieces of another Weiss cutting into her. The other Weiss was dead and gone of course, but the parts that made up who she was still remained.

There would be no afterlife for that particular Weiss Schnee. No eternal peace and not even a semblance of life at all. She wasn't even a ghost, she was so much less now than she used to be.

"Please stop!"

What was left of her was terribly ham-fisted too.

Weiss Schnee was dead, but parts of her still remained. Guilt, anger, sorrow, hate and anguish were all just bits that remained. That, and the scattered memory or two. But for the younger, and altogether smaller Weiss to feel all these things was killing her. The mortal mind wasn't meant to comprehend such things, not without the aid of their true soul to shield them like he had.

The soul was a beautiful thing, but the soul of Weiss Schnee was being rent in ways even Nihilus loathed.

It was sickening to observe, on a physical and metaphysical level. Spiritually, it was as though shards of glass were being stabbed into a work of art, physically it was as though a bunch of dark and oily shadows were looming over a small child.

Wait, no, that's right. Weiss was dreaming, she wasn't actually a five-year-old girl. She was really like, seven or something.

Whatever.

Nihilus didn't like that. He didn't like that he'd caused the little Schnee this… pain. Oh, he didn't regret killing the other Weiss - the rotten viper got the death that she deserved. But he did regret the mutilation of her soul; such things were sacred, beyond even him. A soul cannot be created by anything other than a mother and a father, but a soul can be _destroyed_ if enough pressure was applied.

It was horrible, disgusting even. A soul was a divine thing, something terribly delicious but still altogether wonderful. Weiss Schnee deserved many horrible things, many terrible punishments, but this? No, no, no. That was a punishment reserved only for the most wretched. Only for _Ironwood_.

Perhaps he could do a second kindness for the night? He was always true to his debts after all, and after what he did to the older Weiss he certainly owed her _something_.

It wasn't like he could pay her back directly, what with her being utterly less than human now. But perhaps the little Weiss within her dreams could be afforded some vague comfort.

With a sigh Nihilus forced himself deeper into the dream, enough to appear physically beside the trembling form of the younger Weiss. Stupid little girl didn't even know she was dreaming, little brat wouldn't even remember his charity! Ungrateful scum.

With a wave of a hand, Nihilus battered the dark shadows of the nightmare away from the sobbing girl, their shouts of rage and accusation burning away in an instant under Nihilus' focussed gaze. Nightmares were always so fickle, only as real as the dreamer made them.

"D-Daddy?"

She clutched at his robe like a lifeline.

With a snarl, Nihilus slapped the girl away. He had a daughter once, but this wretch was not her.

The little form of Weiss staggered back clutching at her swelling cheek in dismay, her eyes wide with hurt.

"I am not your father," Nihilus hissed, "My daughter is dead. You are just a stupid little girl!"

Nihilus grinned savagely as she began crying. This was the kind of pain he could get behind, the kind the he intended to inflict. Her suffering was majestic, and her tears soothing to him.

Nihilus pulled himself out of the dream with a chuckle, vanishing from the twisted mindscape of the little Schnee without even the barest sound. He'd done his kindness for now. And although ultimately nothing had been achieved, it was still something to do in the waning darkness while the Betrayer slept. Nihilus wasn't interested in peeking into whatever the Betrayer dreamt of, he probably just wallowed in his misery and anguish.

Pathetic.

* * *

 **Grimmlands, many years ago…**

 **Two years and eleven months after the Fall of Amity.**

"My lady!"

Watts was practically tripping over himself as he rushed towards the meeting room of his Queen.

"My lady!"

The doors slammed open as the elder Atlesian man forced his way into the room, his breath coming in harsh pants as he practically sprinted to his lady's side. Those gathered around the stone table that dominated the room stopped dead upon Watts' abrupt entrance.

Hazel and Tyrian's eyes followed Watts as he bowed deeply to their lady. Watts wasn't sure where Cinder was, but frankly he didn't care. This was more important by _far_.

"My lady Salem, I have excellent news!" Watts cried.

"Excellent enough to interrupt this meeting, Watts?" Salem's voice was as smooth as velvet, but nobody missed the undertone.

"Yes, my lady," Watts simpered; it was indeed grand news. He would no doubt be greatly rewarded for this. "My lady, I have discovered the location of the Arc boy! The one you have sought after!"

And it was a long time coming too, given that the boy had been hiding for nearly three years. The information was good, but it needed to be acted upon quickly lest they be beaten to the catch.

Salem's eyes glowed in bloody delight, her red irises literally brightening. "This is good news Watts, I was growing tired of waiting. Tell me, where is he and how did you discover him?"

"Yes Watts," Tyrian giggled from the other side of the table, "tell us how you found this little birdy, tell us!"

Watts ignored him, but he could feel even Hazel's harsh and interested gaze boring into the back of his head. "My lady, the Grimm you created several months ago to observe the boy's family have finally caught sight of our quarry - he has been hiding within an abandoned mineshaft outside his hometown. The Grimm set to watch his sisters and father noticed the repeated absence of the father and eldest sister, upon following them-"

"Yes," Salem interrupted. "I see. Excellent work Watts, I am pleased."

Watts felt a grin slip over his face. Of course she was pleased, he was the best of her subjects after all. He was the greatest weapon she had at her disposal - one can never doubt the power of an intelligent mind after all.

"We will test him," Salem announced, her blood-red eyes settling onto Tyrian. "Dear Tyrian, do you think this boy could be my equal? That he could stand beside me?"

"Of course not!" Tyrian cried, looking as though he was physically disgusted with the idea. "No one could ever be as magnificent as you! No one could ever be as wondrous!"

Watts withheld his scoff of disdain for the insane scorpion. What an utter suck.

"Very good," Salem purred, "you will go to him and you will fight him. If you kill him, you will have been correct. If you fail, and you die… I will be disappointed in you."

Tyrian leapt to his feet with wide eyes, a manic devotion twisting his face. "I won't let that happen! I'll strangle him with my own guts if I have to!"

Watts could only wish the fool would.

"Indeed," Salem purred as Tyrian began to make for the door. "Oh, and Tyrian, make it interesting why don't you? Take a… Gleam Eyes with you. That should be sufficient."

Watts felt his eyes widen, his body growing still as his mind tried to process what he had just heard. A Gleam Eyes…?

The Arc boy had no chance.

Not against _that_.

* * *

 **Mineshaft, many years ago…**

 **Two years and eleven months after the Fall of Amity.**

Jaune 'stared' at the vast array of colours set out before him.

There were so many books, each filled with an empty soul.

Actually, there were three-hundred and forty-two books, each filled with a _hollow_ soul.

The souls he extracted from his inner being were all dead but alive, things that were so terribly empty and _resembled_ what life was - but were at the same time a stark reminder of what life was _not._

But Jaune had found some petty purpose for them, something to help fill the hollow places in their centres. Not true life, barely even a facsimile. But still a kindness for a world so utterly empty of such a thing.

The things Jaune knew about aura could change the world, change the way huntsmen and huntresses lived and died. But what use was knowledge when it wasn't shared? What use was knowing the path to salvation when he was on a different road altogether?

But that's where these books came in.

Each one was filled with something. Some with the hard facts regarding aura and the soul, others more speculative in nature. But each with a purpose.

But after three hundred books, Jaune felt himself at a loss. They were all he knew of aura, all he knew of the soul. All it would take was somebody - anybody - stumbling upon them and they'd have more knowledge about the soul than literally thousands of huntsmen and huntresses. There was literally nothing more he knew about aura.

Jaune clutched an 'empty' book in his hand.

But there were still some things he wanted to do. Messages he wanted to give and stories he wanted to tell.

So he was going to make another. Not a book about aura, but something for his father.

Where would Jaune be now without his father? Murdered either by Grimm or hunters after what happened at Amity. Even before that though, John Arc always tried to be a good father and a good man. Trying to guide his children away from the disastrous life of a hunter. But Jaune had looked at his father's soul, he had seen the terrible rends and wounds the man carried with him.

Such things were beyond Jaune's full understanding. He couldn't just 'fix' the hurt that his father carried with him. But he could tell a story.

Jaune palmed the book in his hand, gently forcing one of the many souls he had wronged into its pages. The soul took to its new anchor like all the others did, screaming wordlessly the entire way until some semblance of peace was felt.

Then silence. Waiting.

So Jaune told his story.

"Hey Dad," the words were being poured into the book. "Did I ever tell you about the happy times I had at Beacon? The friends I made and the fun I had?"

John Arc may not have had such things himself, but Jaune would share his joy.

"I'm sure it's not hard to believe, but I made a total ass of myself the moment I arrived." Jaune laughed, the book mirroring him. "I puked my guts out the second I got off the airship. Then I met a pretty girl and made my first friend. Ruby Rose, she was called… she was as awkward as I was, so I think we balanced each other out."

She almost certainly hated him now too. From what he'd seen peeking at the souls of his old friends, Ruby and Yang in particular were so terribly full of hatred and pain, the kind that was deep-rooted in a way that Jaune could never fully take away.

"Before initiation I met another girl, I didn't even know she was meant to be famous. I thought she was just like the rest of us… I was wrong. Pyrrha Nikos became my best friend, the person I trusted most and relied on the most. She's a kind soul, I wonder what she thinks of me now…"

She was very lonely now, from what Jaune could see. She walked through Beacon and Vale just… waiting. Maybe for company, or maybe for something else.

"I'd like to see her again one day, even if she didn't know it was me or even if it's fifty years from now. I'd like to speak with her, tell stupid jokes and laugh with her."

Heh, the day would probably never come. But it was nice to think about.

"After initiation and my injuries, I found out I was partnered with a guy called Cardin Winchester. Nice guy, a bit of a lump sometimes… but he was my friend." Jaune missed him. He missed a lot of things really, but the souls of his teammates were something he held dear. "Stuff happened, I did some stupid things and apparently I became a hero because I set myself on fire to stop some Grimm in Vale."

There was perhaps a little more to it than that, but that was the gist of it really. Dying had hurt something fierce, and it was not an experience Jaune ever really wanted to try his hand at again. Being a hero was great and all, but living was nicer.

"I had good times and I had bad," Jaune felt the soul within the book glow brilliantly as it took in his words. "I loved having friends, I loved _living_ my life. Everything was going well, I was becoming the hero I always dreamed of being… and then, father, it was as though the dream came crashing down around me."

And crash it did. Everything came down _hard_ , tearing away what Jaune had finally called his own.

"You taught me that evil is just a word, that under the skin it is simple pain. But I know now that innocence is chrysalis… a phase designed to end." Jaune rested his head against the book, tears gently slipping down his face. "For you, mercy was victory. You sacrificed, you endured, and when given the chance you forgave... always."

Which was more than he did. Jaune could see now that he wasn't, nor was he ever, cut out for the life of a huntsman. He was too scared, too afraid of losing himself to either death or becoming one of the monsters he was meant to fight.

"When I was young, I dreamed and desired. But for all my want of the life of a hunter, you shot me down. Didn't you want me to be like you? I was so sure I could save everyone… But I regret. I regret more than ever… My semblance is a curse. Would that I could never have unlocked it."

There was an endless list of things that Jaune regretted now. Too many things, too much that he couldn't take back. He didn't want to die, but he didn't want to live either. It was an odd dichotomy.

"For me, the dream of being a hunter is over… and in waking, I am alone." Alone in a deep dark cave, with only two people in the world not wanting him to die a horrible death. "I've looked into the heart of the world, and I am afraid. Afraid of all that I have seen, all that I could see… the world is about to change."

And it was, it was as though the world was on a precipice. Like something was about to happen but everyone was holding their breaths. Jaune could hardly fathom what it all meant, but he knew there was a storm on the horizon. Be it the Grimm or something altogether more human, Jaune didn't know; there were bad tidings from Atlas and their militarism as well as increased numbers of Grimm worldwide since the Fall of Amity…

It would reach a boiling point sooner or later.

"Perhaps there is no name for what I am, but I know the world is about to change." Jaune couldn't help a morose chuckle. "I had thought that I would be a defender, a protector… yet, as you and I sat in the dark together, I wondered if even I could be redeemed. But father… I am afraid."

The soul within the book warmed in his hands as Jaune finished his message. Perhaps it wasn't as cheerful as he'd hoped, but it was a thing of the heart nonetheless. When John next came to visit him, Jaune would give him the book.

It was the only kindness he could give…

* * *

893

* * *

 **A/N**

 **An interesting thing, that book. Equal parts fear for the future and regret for the past. It also begs the question how it eventually ended up where it was in chapter thirty-three (yes, it's** _ **that**_ **book).**

 **Anyway, I'm sure you can all see that it's the beginning of the end for Jaune's little exile and for current Jaune's** _ **life**_ **. So shit gets real.**

 **Reviews:**

 **The Powder Keg:**

 **Terribly sorry for the delay, I've got uni starting soon and I'm a little pressed for time. Thanks for reviewing though.**

 **As for your question... Probably. Chances are that Jaune wouldn't out of fear of dying, but the process of removing his own soul would be similar to that of what he was already doing. The only issue is whether or not he'd fade away before he managed to bind himself to something.**

 **As for Nihilus? Definitely. He's actually already done it - the rings he gave to Jaune. The fire ring is just an off-cut of his soul that is rooted in rage and anger. The gravity ring is a little different, as while it is also a soul chunk of Nihilus it is what Nihilus bound Jaune's soul to when he resurrected him. In the grand scheme of things there isn't much Nihilus can't do - most notably he can't resurrect anyone that has completely faded away (his wife, his daughter, basically anyone he'd ever want to bring back to life...). Other than that there aren't really any limits to his power.**

 **Again, apologies for the delay.**

 **ZHsteven:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **What about it was unclear? What you read is still only about half the conversation, the other half will come next chapter, so maybe that's where some of your confusion stems from? Perhaps a reread is in order.**

 **The books are the same ones featured in earlier chapters; and while they were certainly made with only good intentions in mind, they are still very similar in nature to the Rings that Jaune wears. Dangerous in a subtle way. The constant screaming is also something of a giveaway…**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Heh, I don't get that often. So thanks.**

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading! Don't forget to leave a review!**


	40. Service and Sacrifice

Wraith

Chapter Forty

Beta: Smithrooks

Service and Sacrifice

 **Vale, present day…**

It was a subtle thing.

The change was quiet, almost unnoticeable even.

But Nihilus saw it, he saw the little shift within the broken Betrayer's soul. Where before there was a lack of direction and a distinct sense of nothing, now there was… purpose.

What that purpose was Nihilus didn't know, for how could he understand one who would cast aside their family for strangers? No, the Betrayer was a mystery to him.

Even now Nihilus couldn't divine what drove the boy - what purpose did he have in coming into Vale during a day when he was meant to have lessons? Not that Nihilus himself cared much for the empty teachings, but it was out of character for the Betrayer. To act, to cause something himself rather than merely _re_ act wasn't normal for the little wretch.

It was just very… odd.

" _What are you doing, Betrayer?"_ Nihilus queried as the boy walked down the sunlit streets. Vale was a terribly uninteresting place, even in the 'rougher' parts that Betrayer strolled through.

"Tell me, what ever happened to your father? To your sisters?"

Oh? Now _that_ was interesting. The Betrayer actually speaking to him? Acknowledging his presence with anything beyond a hateful glare was a novelty. What had caused this? And to open with such a question? Ooh, the little Betrayer was fishing for something. Like the little rat could glean some _understanding_ from such a question. Such a fool.

" _You saw it Betrayer, you saw what became of Dorme. The ash, the utter destruction."_

Nihilus had been… hurt? That was odd, he couldn't quite remember. But he'd taken the Betrayer and the not-Pyrrha to the miserable little hole he wallowed in for nearly three years, they saw what became of Dorme. They saw the destruction, the utter devastation. It was a dead place, something ruined and tainted in the eyes of society. A boneyard.

"That doesn't answer my question."

The Betrayer didn't slow down his walk, nor did he even look at Nihilus' ghostly form as he spoke. It was rather disconcerting. The wretched boy just kept walking, unheeding to those around him as he pushed into the… red light district?

But no, Nihilus _didn't_ answer his question. Funny that. Some things were meant to be experienced - especially for one as vile and traitorous as the Betrayer. He wanted to know what became of them? What became of eight people he would burn down the world to see again? That little _slime_ hadn't earnt the right. He was a wretched and shallow thing, a paradox of ruination that still _pretended_ to be real.

But Nihilus knew that was a lie. The Betrayer was wrong. He was wrong and broken and stained by his piddling little hardships. No doubt misery dominated the mind of the pathetic creature. Anything else was inconceivable and impossible.

This one was just like all the others. He only thought about himself, he was as selfish as ever. For money, for power, for validation or just for the sense of being justified. It was all the same. Everyone was greedy, and the Betrayer was just like every other sentient ever to live.

"Hello. You're Junior? I hear you know things."

Nihilus' attention shifted back towards the Betrayer - had he really just lost himself to thought that much? Pathetic. No no, he had to focus!

And what was this cesspool that the Betrayer found himself in now? A club of some kind. Perhaps it may be impressive to the eyes of a mortal, but to Nihilus it was as filthy and decrepit as the rest of this vile world. The tall bearded fool the Betrayer spoke too reeked of greed almost as badly as the Betrayer himself.

"I may know things, depending on how much you're willing to pay for it kid."

Ooh, Nihilus liked that. This weakling didn't bother trying to hide his avarice, he was an honest soul - something Nihilus could appreciate.

" _I like this one, Betrayer. It would be a shame to see him burn."_

And burn he would, apparently.

"Good. I'm looking for a hunter, a guy called John Arc. He's from a village called Dorme - it was destroyed recently."

That was enlightening. What ever had become of little old John and the girls of this world?

…

Ah.

 _Ah_.

Well, one little look across Vale certainly painted a picture there. Heh, the thought of the Betrayer arriving to see _that_ was certainly going to be a fun experience. Nihilus couldn't wait to behold the _agony_ the wretch would feel.

"Dorme, huh? I've heard of it. And maybe I heard of some of the hunters that escaped too. I can't quite seem to remember, maybe something will jog my memory."

Nihilus felt it as clearly as though it were his own soul - possibly because it was once. The ring wrapped around the Betrayer's finger was formerly part of himself of course. The swell of emotion, the unending and unyielding _rage_ that could outlast a star. Nihilus felt it as the power of fire and the will to use it rose up within the boy.

"That's odd. You seem to think I'm _asking_? No. Tell me now or I'll burn your club to the ground."

Such spirit, such vigour. It was almost novel. Where had this drive come from? This passion? The Betrayer was such because he chose to side against his family, and yet here he was perfectly willing to torch this place and all within it just to find his father and sisters?

Something had changed.

" _Do it, Betrayer. You know you want to. Burn them. What do they matter compared to the ones you love? Why should they be happy when you are not?"_

"You think you can threaten me, kid? You think just because you're some hotshot trainee hunter you can barge in here and act like you own the place? Girls! Come deal with this fool!"

"Hm."

Nihilus revelled in it. The single moment, the single action the Betrayer took was pure anguish to others but bliss to him.

A single snap of his fingers, a surge of rage that Nihilus felt pull at his own soul. It was glorious.

Nihilus shivered in delight as two girls erupted in flame, their screams of sudden pain practically a lullaby to the dead lord.

A 'battle' ensued, but Nihilus didn't care for it. The Betrayer had power enough to burn down a city if he really let loose, and these cretins were practically nothing to him even when outnumbering the Betrayer.

They burnt, the club burnt, _everything_ burnt. It was delightful to watch as the Betrayer's self-control slipped and his rage overtook him. Nameless swine joined in their assault of the wretched Betrayer, some of the fools not even having their aura unlocked. It was a slaughter.

And the Betrayer revelled in it.

Murderous rage was truly a thing to behold, and for the Betrayer to let it all out in such a fashion? Gorgeous.

"Tell me! Tell me where John Arc is!"

Oh? The Betrayer wasn't completely out of control? That was a surprise - he was angry enough to torch uninvolved people just because they came in to work and yet he was still in control? How… hypocritical.

The bearded man, the delightly forthright one, screamed in agony as his hair burnt. Well, he wasn't bearded anymore really. But Nihilus still found that amusing.

"Alright! I give! Just stop it! Stop burning my club!"

Like that would make a difference now. The place was smoking something fierce. This building was a lost cause - like humanity.

"Tell me and I'll put the fire out."

Ooh, that was good. Nihilus knew the Betrayer was callous, that he was ruthless and beyond cruel. But this was a good example of his hard nature first hand! He could feel it - he could see what the Betrayer was about to do, what he was about to say. It was fantastic!

"Okay! John Arc and a bunch of others are holed up down in the refugee district of the city! I heard that he practically attacked the hospital a couple days ago, he should be in one of the temp-houses! That's all I know, I swear!"

All that was true, but it was rather lacking in the juicy details. But oh well, the Betrayer would get to the good part soon enough.

"Thank you."

Here was the good part. The part that made Nihilus laugh even despite the fact that only the Betrayer could see it.

"W-will you put out the fire?"

How would he say it? What delivery was the Betrayer going to use?

"No. I don't think I will. It was nice meeting you, Junior."

And how many people was that now? Two-dozen in this club alone at least. What a good little murderer the Betrayer was becoming.

But that wasn't even the best part.

All this death, all this suffering for what? Family? The Betrayer may find it smaller than he remembers.

* * *

 **Vale, many years ago…**

 **Two years, eleven months and one week after the Fall of Amity.**

Ozpin liked to consider himself robust for his age.

It was the crack of… noon… and he was only on his sixth cup of coffee. For a man who was easily several thousand years old he was more spry than one might imagine, though his current body was getting old. Tired in the bones, weak in the muscles. It was a rare thing for him, to live a life to the point where he could actually experience old age. Most of the time he had the pleasure of dying young and alone in a muddy ditch.

Salem seemed particularly fond of dealing with him that way.

But that was just how things were. The concept of death was rather odd to one such as he; for him it was just another failure, another attempt to right his wrongs against Salem ending poorly. For Ozpin, death had no real meaning. It was a setback, a temporary diversion.

But what was death for others? It was unfathomable to him, the concept of finally leaving the world and joining the Gods in their eternity.

Ozpin was an old soul, but his faith had not waned - he knew that once it was all over, once Salem had finally been laid to rest, that he would finally be in the embrace of his Gods. He could finally go and join with his friends and family from all those years ago. Finally just… rest.

A sudden jarring noise from his scroll jerked Ozpin out of his thoughts, the device buzzing angrily from its position on his desk. It was an unknown caller, but the number seemed vaguely familiar.

He really wasn't expecting any calls, and he was a busy man. But Ozpin would always spare a moment for anyone who needed him. With small sip of his coffee, Ozpin accepted the call.

"Ozpin!" It was a young woman's face that appeared on the screen, it was familiar but not intensly so. A former student perhaps? She seemed to know him, if the way her blue eyes lit in recognition was anything to go by. "Ozpin! It's an emergency!"

Ozpin set his coffee down on his desk, "What's happening?" he asked calmly, "Tell me so I can help."

"It's-" A thunderous roar tore through whatever the woman was going to say, the screen jerking and shuddering.

"Hello?" Ozpin clutched at the edges of his desk, this seemed bad. "Can you still hear me?"

A distant wail of agony alongside the frantic sounds of battle seeped through the scroll. Ozpin felt his heart beat a little faster, what was happening?

After a moment the screen came back into clarity; the woman from before reappearing, but this time with a bloody gash across her forehead. "I'm in Magnis, a frontier village on the outer rim of Vale!" as she spoke a high pitched death scream came through, "Magnis is under attack from the Grimm! We need help _now!"_

Magnis? A relatively new town, but no less valuable for it. It was one of the many little hamlets that were linked to Vale through larger settlements - in this case Dorme. It should be well guarded however, with many hunters hired to keep the Grimm at bay and to ensure that supplies from Dorme arrived safely. What host of Grimm could threaten such a place? Possibly a migration of large numbers, or maybe a group of Goliaths were somehow provoked?

"Okay," Ozpin said as soothingly as possible. "I will send reinforcements immediately. How many Grimm are there? I need to know how many hunters to send."

" _Send them all!"_

The voice cracked like a whip through the scroll.

"All?" Ozpin questioned, dumbfounded and a little shocked. "What do you mean? I can't just-"

The woman on the other side screamed in agony and a spray of blood smeared across the device on the other side, leaving only half the screen viewable.

Something was terribly wrong. This shouldn't be happening, what army of Grimm could possibly do this? Magnis should be well protected with at least ten to twenty hunters, there was no way they could be losing this badly and this quickly - it just wasn't normally feasible. Something must be terribly wrong.

"Just… one…" the huntress moaned weakly from the other side. Ozpin couldn't see an injury, but it was obvious that she was dying. "Only one-" she coughed violently. "Only one Grimm. Heading- heading towards Dorme."

A… single Grimm? No, no… that… Salem was making a move here. Such Grimm existed of course, but they were only used for specific purposes. These were the civilization enders and the society crushers. Beasts of legend that were powerful enough to threaten kingdoms with just their existence. Beasts such as Beowolves and Ursai simply didn't compare. These were the monsters that Salem had used to wipe away society when she felt humanity was due for another near-extinction cataclysm.

"Please, I need to know more!" Ozpin begged the woman to hold on just a little longer. With his free hand Ozpin tapped at his computer, alerting Glynda of an emergency. "Tell me what Grimm did this!"

The huntress gurgled wetly. "I- I never believed they really existed. Its eyes… Oh God, its eyes…"

She was fading fast. But as callous as it was, Ozpin needed her last moments to help him prepare for the threat. "What was it? Tell me!"

She wasn't even looking at the scroll anymore, her eyes distant and unfocused. "I'll t-take pride in knowing it took the legendary Gleam-Eyes to kill me…"

Her final breath was a quiet thing, almost as though she were simply… letting go.

But with her dying words, Ozpin found himself in a panic.

A Gleam-Eyes was a monster among monsters. He would know, having been killed by one before. If this was true, and a Gleam-Eyes really was blowing through Magnis and heading towards Dorme… then the real target was obviously Vale. Perhaps Salem had decided once again to crush her age-old enemy, or perhaps this was another one of her games. But regardless of that Ozpin could _not_ allow the beast anywhere _near_ Vale. Not even close.

Ozpin slammed his hand down on his desk. He hated this, every time. When choices like this came and slammed into him like a hammer - worse still because there were no good options. No route for a true victory to be achieved. People were going to die. Not by the dozens, not even by the hundreds.

Thousands.

A Gleam-Eyes was a Grimm that could smite entire teams of hunters with just the barest moment of focused attention, but against civilians? They didn't even register as a threat.

So either Ozpin met it before it got the city - probably at Dorme, with all the force Vale could muster, or he allowed the beast to crush the heart of the Kingdom.

There was no real choice there.

Dorme would be shattered. But what was one town compared to a city? Compared to a Kingdom?

But it would require numbers…

The entire military would face the beast. All the hunters would face the beast. And… all of Beacon would face the beast.

He could only pray it would be enough.

* * *

 **Dorme, many years ago…**

 **Two years, eleven months and one week after the Fall of Amity.**

John Arc was a brave man.

He was a slayer of humans, faunus and Grimm.

He had faced down hordes of ravenous opponents.

And John Arc was afraid.

Dorme was going mad, people were terrified and their fear betrayed them. It hadn't even started yet…

John, as well as the few other hunter-trained individuals within the village, had gotten word less than an hour before that something was heading their way. The entire town had already begun the evacuation procedures, but John wasn't a fool and he knew how these things went. When people heard tell of Grimm coming the fear ate away at them, and more fear meant more Grimm, more Grimm meant more fear…

Apparently Magnis had already been utterly annihilated by the threat, the entire town just swallowed up and turned to ruin in less time than it took to make lunch.

And that was all it took.

The entire military, every available hunter, every student even, was coming to Dorme.

People ran to and fro like the world was ending - and for many it may as well be. Civilians were either being forced to evacuate, or they were being ordered to hand over anything that may help with the defence _then_ told to evacuate.

It wasn't that Dorme was particularly important to the kingdom, or that there was someone important living here - that they knew about anyway - it was because of the nature of the threat. If Dorme fell and the Grimm continued onwards to Vale then the entire Kingdom would be at risk of utter collapse and destruction.

At first John had wondered what host of Grimm could possibly warrant this? What horde could be so large to draw this much attention from Vale?

But it wasn't.

It was a single Grimm.

Such a terrible beast wasn't of Sanus, the main continent of Vale and Vacuo. No, the creature was something of the far shores called the Grimmlands - the dragon continent. A beast of such stature, such power that a single specimen could exterminate an entire society.

A Gleam-Eyes.

A beast of legend.

They weren't meant to be _real_. They were fiction, or at least any sane man would pray that they were. A Gleam-Eyes was a titan, a legendary Grimm that people still whispered about in the older corners of the world. They all said different things, but the consensus was the same.

A Gleam-Eyes was _death._

And apparently they had less than half an hour before it came stomping into the village to kill them all.

...John Arc was terrified.

He was a man familiar with death in a way that not many were, familiar in a way that he would wish upon no one.

John Arc was afraid of dying.

But more than that, John Arc was afraid of those he loved dying.

"You're all going to leave in less than two minutes. Take only what you cannot live without!"

There wasn't any chorus of protest, nor was there any dispute amongst the daughters of the Arc family. They grew up on John's horror stories about the nightmarish Grimm, they knew - if distantly - that a Grimm of such magnitude was not something to be taken lightly.

They also knew that he wasn't going with them.

Quiet tears and sobs filled the house as six of the seven girls gathered their most prized possessions. They knew that pretending to be brave was lost on each other, so they just let themselves cry as they prepared to leave their home.

All except Violet.

"Dad," she whispered into his ear, her hand tightly holding him close. "What about Jaune? He'll know something is up. We need to get him out of there."

John winced. That was another kettle of fish altogether. Unbidden, his eyes strayed in the direction of his bedroom, where the book Jaune had given him was kept. Such an odd thing… but beautiful, in a terribly sad way. Rather like Jaune himself, in that respect. "I know," he muttered quietly so the other girls didn't hear. "He can't evacuate with the rest of you. The hunters and the military would go crazy if they knew he was here."

"Then what?" Violet pinched him hard, "We can't just leave him!"

No, they couldn't. The old mines were sturdy enough to be traversed relatively safely, but there was no telling what kind of damage the battle against the Gleam-Eyes could cause. It was easily possible that the entire mine could collapse from all the shockwaves and fighting. Jaune would die either by suffocation or by being crushed by tonnes of rock.

John wasn't willing to let that happen. Terrible things he may have done, but Jaune was still his son. Never again would he allow his family to die on his watch, not when something could be done. Not when they could be saved.

But Jaune had a difficult road ahead of him; it was impossible for him to leave with the others, so he'd have to take another path out. He would have to _walk_. And that, in and of itself, was almost as dangerous as the Gleam-Eyes.

John loved his son like nothing else in the world, but he was a realist. Jaune's control of his semblance was… wanting. He could hold it for hours if he focussed - but there was a distinct difference to completely focussing on something with absolutely nothing to distract you compared to trying to focus while fleeing for your life.

John loved his son, but… he didn't know how safe it was.

"Dad?"

John shook his head. It didn't matter how safe it was for Jaune to escape on foot - John would burn down a Kingdom before he let his children come to harm, and he'd let Jaune do the same if it meant survival. It didn't matter who died so long as they lived.

"Okay Violet," quietly, he pulled his eldest daughter into following him. His other children didn't know about Jaune, so they absolutely _mustn't_ hear of what he was planning. "Listen to me. There isn't much time before the Grimm arrives. Twenty minutes if we're lucky."

It went unsaid that they _weren't_ lucky.

"I'm meant to be leading part of the defence, so they'll notice if I disappear - but not if you do." Violet knew what that meant. The others may not, but she did. He could see it in her eyes, the despair and the understanding of the fight to come. It wasn't a fight that John would win. It wasn't even one he would survive. "Run to Jaune. Escape together. Meet back up with the other girls when you can, look after them…"

Because he couldn't.

He was a failure as a hunter, because he let his team die. He was a failure as a husband, because he let his wife die. If he let his children get hurt, even just one of them, then he would be a failure of a father too.

And for once in his life John Arc would like to be a winner.

Just once.

Violet sobbed and clutched him tightly in a hug. "Don't do this. Don't leave us! Come with me. You, Jaune and I can meet with the others in Vale and we can all make it out of this!"

It was funny, wasn't it? Violet was a grown woman. She was as old as Jane and he were when they started their little family… and yet to him she was still his daughter. Daughters always stayed five years old with scraped knees, at least in the eyes of their fathers.

"No, Violet," he gently pulled her off of him. He had a death to get to, and she had a brother to go and save. "Let me have this. Go to Jaune, warn him. Don't leave him alone, or he'll end up like me."

A failure.

"Dad, please…"

Something roared in the distance.

"Go!" John pushed his daughter away. "Go now! Girls! You're leaving! NOW!"

It was for the best.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

Weiss didn't feel like getting out of bed today.

Part of her was disgusted by the mere notion of such a thing. A Schnee must always present themselves as the epitome of refined elegance. Not… laze about in bed.

Weiss _Schnee_ wanted to rise and act like nothing had changed.

 _Weiss_ didn't want to do anything.

The others had been concerned of course, Ruby in particular had hovered around and tried to keep Weiss company. But Weiss had sent her away - the voices and foreign emotions that the girl stirred was sickening, and not what Weiss needed right now. Not after last night. Not after the dreams.

 _Violet._

She'd had a nightmare, as was the norm lately… but then someone was there. They chased away the… something. It was all hazy, but it had felt like she was being attacked. Not physically perhaps - but rather by something altogether more painful and wounding. It had hurt, as words were wont to do at times.

The dream itself was hazy, but _he_ was not. Were Weiss a more poetic person then she might liken him to an angel, something to cut away the darker aspects of her mind and let her live in the light. But it was more than that. For some reason he seemed impossibly tall - or perhaps she had merely been impossibly small? And upon first looking at him she felt a deep sense of familiarity, like she had seen him before.

 _Violet._

A face cut in twain by three grisly scars, eyes as blank and dull as a corpse, and a frayed black robe. He looked almost as bad as the demons that had haunted her.

But it was his _feel_ that made him different. She didn't remember, but he had shouted at her? Something about having a daughter. But for as fearsome as his visage may have been, there was something about him that told her that he was just… _hurt_.

Words didn't describe it.

 _Violet._

So maybe it was empathy that drove Weiss not to get out of bed. Or maybe it was the name - and it _was_ a name - that kept slipping into her thoughts. It wasn't like the other voices; they were intrusive and blunt. This was like oil over water, just slipping at the edge of perception and slipping away just as easily.

And for some reason it made her feel guilty.

Like someone was twisting a knife in her gut.

Violet. Violet. Violet. It was just a word, just a name. And yet it _stung_ like nothing ever had before. It was a deep kind of hurt, the kind of pain that ached on such a deep level everything else seemed to lose meaning.

 _Violet._

But what was it? The dream had something to do with it, of that Weiss was sure. The dream, the man and the name. It wasn't his name, but… connected to him somehow? She wasn't sure, but that just seemed… apparent to her. Like it was obvious. Like it was something indisputable.

He was sad, and _Violet_ was the cause of his sorrow.

" _Violet…. Violet please… please don't leave me alone in this world. I can't bear it. Don't leave Daddy alone…"_

Weiss shivered as she felt the cold settle around her, the words whispering in her ears from nowhere. The voice was familiar - the man from her dream, but… younger.

Something was wrong with her eyes.

With a small jerk, Weiss realised she was crying.

" _No. No… please. Why? Why do this to me? I just- she was my daughter. My wife, my daughter…"_

"I don't understand," Weiss whispered to the empty room around her. "Please, I don't know…"

" _You wanted to win so desperately?"_

All at once it was like lightning passed through Weiss' body, her back arching and her mouth opening in a silent scream. It was painful, but not on a level that she had ever understood before. Like her aura - her _soul_ \- had suddenly turned against her and was tearing away at her core. Something had changed, the words had gone from utterly defeated to profoundly angry in an instant. Like looking at two different moment's in the same person's life.

" _You wanted my power so desperately?"_

It _hurt_. It was as though every inch of her was filled with red-hot lava and she was being burnt alive.

 _"You crushed my sole remaining wish... and you… you feel no shame at all?!"_

Violet. Blonde hair, purple eyes. Blood-stained snow, chains strong enough to bind a god.

It _hurt_.

" _I will never forgive you... I will never forgive any of you! You inhuman monsters who have ruined the honour of a hunter, let my blood taint your dreams! Let my power be cursed! Let the strength it grants you bring disaster! And when you fall into the pits of hell... remember the rage of the Arcs! Remember Violet!"_

Weiss gagged and vomited, bile and foulness spilling onto her pristine bed as her nose bled and her eyes wept.

That voice. That pain. It was so raw, so real… it was unimaginable. But worse - she _knew_ who it was.

Because that was the voice of Jaune.

* * *

893

* * *

 **A/N**

 **So Jaune is on the warpath, Weiss is starting to piece things together, and Nihilus is still a stalker.**

 **Oh and shit is about to go down hill** _ **real**_ **fast for young Nihilus.**

 **Fun.**

 **Anyway, after much procrastination (shamelessly) I have finally gotten around to watching Sword Art Online - the anime I apparently reference often. I suppose I can see the similarities, but if anyone is expecting the Gleam Eyes from SAO to appear in this story you'll be disappointed. The Gleam Eyes coming in the next chapter is much,** _ **much**_ **worse.**

 **On a happier note, I watched SAO abridged and that is** _ **much**_ **better. Very funny.**

 **Reviews (all** _ **two**_ **of them):**

 **DeWatermelonGod:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Thank you. Wraith as a whole is the story of Nihilus, and I enjoy writing his history the most - Nihilus is the main character really. As for his 'Noble Phantasm' (yes I have seen the anime), he won't be getting any stronger than he currently is. Bear in mind that Nihilus is already strong enough to smite all life from the face of Remnant - there is a pinnacle, and Nihilus is there.**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **That would be an accurate summation I would say.**

* * *

 **Thanks for reading (those who have gotten this far anyway…), and remember to leave a review!**


	41. All Dreams End

Wraith

Chapter Forty-One

Beta: Smithrooks

All Dreams End

 **Dorme, many years ago...**

 **Two years, eleven months and one week after the Fall of Amity.**

John could admit that there was a certain degree of irony in his current predicament.

The Gleam-Eyes.

Just looking at the beast from afar was enough to make him want to shit his pants.

Judging by the smell around him alone, perhaps some of the other hunters already had.

See, that's the thing about the Gleam Eyes that made it different from other society-ending Grimm; it wasn't the size of a small city, it didn't make skyscrapers fall from its mere footsteps, it couldn't fly or burrow underground.

It was subtler than that.

A Gleam-Eyes was somewhere between a lion, a snake and a person. Only taller - this one coming to about two and a half stories tall. A titan, but barely. The face of a ferocious lion, the torso and limbs of a genderless human, and a tail that was just a really big snake - _that_ was a Gleam-Eyes. Oh, and each of its fingers had fingernails as long and sharp as a claymore.

But that wasn't even the exciting part.

The beast had three special traits - two of which were utterly unique to this particular Grimm.

Firstly, like many True Grimm, the Gleam Eyes could breathe fire. This was a trait shared by most SS class beasts.

Secondly, and uniquely, the Gleam Eyes could survive any wound that didn't immediately kill it. It healed itself so quickly that assuming one was _actually_ able to cause damage in the first place, it simply didn't matter. Cut off its arm? A new one has grown by the time you finish your sword swing.

Thirdly, the reason behind the name and the reason for the irony that now beset John. _Anyone_ that met the red eyes of the beast was struck with an unnatural and alien terror that clawed away at their will. Alike to John's Semblance, only magnified to the absolute end degree. Like comparing a bucket of water to, say, an _ocean_.

Oh, and it also had the unfortunate side effect of making people so scared that they summoned more Grimm.

 _That_ was why the Gleam Eyes was classified as a societal level threat.

And it was currently running towards the walls of Dorme at full speed.

"W-we have to run!" The girl beside him gasped.

A couple dozen hunters, a handful of military aircraft, a small army of soldiers, and every student Beacon could muster on such short notice. Even Ozpin was here…

But it wouldn't be enough.

An army was useless in the face of the fear the Gleam-Eyes would - and already was - inspiring. They would be _extremely_ lucky if a fifth of their force didn't turn tail and run in sheer terror. Far more likely that it'll end up being just a few dozen brave fools - himself unfortunately included - to face the beast alone.

The rest would run.

There should be more - and there would have been, had the Grimm had the decency to wait more than an hour in crossing the distance between Magnis and Dorme. The likelihood of more fully trained hunters coming was slim; the vaunted 'independence' of hunters was something of a detriment when it meant that the most powerful fighters in your army could - and probably _did_ \- refuse the call.

Students of Beacon, however, were not fully trained hunters. They were still bound to do whatever Ozpin, and by extension, Vale told them to do.

Better than the average grunt in the military, but only in the sense that most Beacon students were probably still foolish enough to willingly run to their deaths in the name of being a 'hero'.

That being said, John was willing to bet that most of them, right at this very moment, were ready to flee and let Vale burn.

The girl beside him was young, probably one of the students forced into coming. Black hair and fearful yellow eyes that failed profoundly to hide the utter terror she was feeling.

"Fight for Vale!" John roared, his hand raising Crocea Mors high into the sky. Gods, he hoped his hand wasn't shaking - being brave sucked. "Fight to defend your homes!"

Like the good little martyrs they were, those around him roared their approval; some weak and fearful like the girl beside him, others strong and full of conviction. John didn't blame those that couldn't overcome their fear, but he could only hope that they did their part in the battle.

Fight to defend their homes…

Far behind him, the last of the evacuation bullheads began to speed away.

This was it.

The Gleam-Eyes fell upon the short wall like a tidal wave. One moment a ten metre wide section of wall was there, and the next it simply _wasn't_.

The titan roared defiantly as its blackened skin was assaulted on all sides by a barrage of gunfire and elemental Dust. Great swathes of skin tore away and regrew in a matter of seconds, and yet still the beast didn't look terribly phased. With one lazy swing of its serpentine tail - the tail being fully autonomous apparently - the life of some nameless hunter was snuffed out.

Would being eaten whole by a tail/snake hurt?

"Retreat!"

It was already starting to happen.

"No!" John roared, his voice in sync with another, "Stay and fight!"

From across the writhing mass of the battlefield John caught sight of Ozpin, the elder man trying just as John was to rally the ailing morale of the defenders.

The titanic form of the Gleam-Eyes rumbled as though it were laughing at the fear it inspired, a gout of red - not orange, _red_ \- flame pouring of of its mouth like liquid magma. The blast doused a dozen fools who were paralysed by fear - their screams of agony were brief and clipped by how quickly they died.

"It's going to kill us all!"

John, for all his experience as a hunter could only shiver in horror as the beast casually swiped its sword like fingernails through the poor fool stupid enough to shout and draw attention to himself. The hunter was instantly sliced to ribbons.

"RUN!"

They were routed already, over two thirds of the military, students and the hunters 'defending' the village were running in the opposite direction to the Grimm. The ones that remained… they weren't enough.

But even so, John had a promise to keep.

With a roar of his own John charged towards the monstrosity, the blade of Crocea Mors shining brilliantly in the sunlight. He didn't bother with the shield - there was no point.

"Fools!"

A white and red blur shot past John like lightning, a vaguely familiar girl leaping directly atop the Gleam-Eyes' back with a flaming rapier - the thin sword digging deeply into the monster.

Good. Someone who was willing to die for the cause then - John could use the help.

Less than a second behind her, John charged in close to the serpentine tail of the great beast, Crocea Mors easily cutting the snake free of the actual Gleam-Eyes.

For a second John was foolish enough to think that he may have actually hurt it.

He was wrong.

True to the legends, by the time John stopped the swing of his sword the severed snake head had already half regrown, the fangs and hateful red eyes barely sparing a moment to glare balefully at John.

But he wasn't the target anymore.

The snake/tail jerked upwards to the pale, white-clad girl still viciously stabbing the Gleam-Eyes' spine with her flaming rapier. She didn't even see the attack coming, and it was too quick for John to warn her - as quick as lightning, the now-fully formed snake head crashed into the girl and threw her off into the air.

All at once John felt himself being thrown backwards, one of the legs of the beast idly slapping him aside as the titan spun around.

In a single moment the behemoth whirled around and _punched_ the flying form of the pale girl, a terrible _crunch_ marking the impact the both the Grimm's fist and the unforgiving ground as she landed.

"WEISS!"

John bounced and rolled for his own impact with the ground, fairing much better than the foolishly brave girl. She was either dead or had broken every bone in her body. Or both.

Another girl, this one familiar to him rushed to her fallen friend's side. What was her name…? Jaune had spoken of her often… Wait, wasn't that Pyrrha? The one Jaune mentioned in the book…

With a furious jerk of her head, Pyrrha left the side of her fallen friend and raised her weapon to charge their unstoppable enemy-

John didn't let her.

With a rough push, John pushed her back towards the maimed white-haired girl. "Stay with your friend and get the hell out of here!"

Green eyes widened with startled recognition, "Wait! You're Ja-"

Heat washed over them as the Gleam-Eyes spat fire behind them. "No time!" John shouted, "Just leave while you can, run into the forest!"

Were it literally anyone else he wouldn't have cared - just another body to throw between him and the might of the Gleam Eyes. But this was someone - though he wouldn't ever admit it - that Jaune loved. And by God, John was going to protect his children from being hurt, physically and emotionally, as best he could. She would live.

No more words were shared - she gathered her broken friend and fled.

Good.

As John turned back to the fight, it dawned on him in a single instant just how completely they had lost. The veritable army that stood ready to face the mighty Grimm was just _gone_ ; most had fled in the first few moments, and the rest had _died_.

All in less than five minutes.

To his horror John noted that, including himself, the defenders numbered _five_.

But the ones left were the mightiest: Ozpin, Glynda Goodwitch, Bartholomew Oobleck and Peter Port.

And himself.

They had no hope of winning.

But the Gleam Eyes was wrong if it thought it would be an easy victory.

The funny thing about being a Beacon instructor - most were getting old and beginning to slow down physically, but they were the best of the best. They were the hunters that could smite entire teams of lesser hunters individually. They were the best not only because they were the strongest, but they fought _smartly_.

John couldn't compare to them physically, but fighting dirty was something he had down to an art form.

John didn't roar or shout as he charged the monster, for its attention was firmly on the four brave hunters arrayed before it. This would have been the perfect moment for him to escape, to run away…

But instead he swung his sword cleanly through both the serpentine tail, and the spine of the Gleam Eyes.

He had a promise to keep.

The wound would heal of course, but it would _hurt_.

The titan roared and staggered like a broken doll as its spine and tail were briefly severed, its baleful eyes turning on John in an instant. For a moment John felt fear seize through him and his body lock up, it was almost as though death was staring him-

Ozpin's cane twisted deeply in the titan's left eye.

The man was like lightning with how fast he moved; one moment he was on the ground and the next he was atop the beast's face, gouging out its eye. Less than a second later, the Gleam Eyes staggered as a broken chunk of stone shattered over its head - Glynda Goodwitch's semblance no doubt.

"You there! With us! We need to kill this monstrosity!"

It was Oobleck's voice that shook John out of his stupor. The sharp green-haired man was ragged and dirty, but he still looked ready to fight.

John didn't bother replying verbally, instead he jumped back atop the titan's back and jammed his sword in its spine.

That was reply enough.

The beast roared in agony as it shook wildly, both John and Ozpin roughly being thrown away from the beast in its jerks.

Ozpin's landing was graceful, but John's was not. Only thanks to aura did John avoid his neck snapping as he dove into the ground face first, pain searing across his mind for a single instant as consciousness shuddered.

One moment.

That was all it took.

Less than two seconds after John landed, he pushed himself up - just in time to see one of his precious allies die.

Glynda Goodwitch screamed and raged furiously even as the jaws and sword-like teeth of the Gleam Eyes clamped down on her. John could only shudder as the beast ripped her in half, the lower torso and legs of the proud huntress thrown aside like they were mere trash.

Perhaps the other three teachers screamed their outrage, but John didn't care to hear it. The death of Glynda Goodwitch was a blow to all of Vale, but it was also his moment to attack.

The enemy was open.

For the barest moment aura pooled in his legs, then John was propelled forwards to the face of the monster as fast as a speeding bullet.

With a single swing of his sword the monster's skull was split in two, John's muscles screaming in agony as he forced his sword downwards with all his might.

This was his death.

"Run!" he roared to the others, "Prepare Vale!"

He honestly didn't care about Vale, but that was where all the evacuation shuttles were heading. So if the beast managed to raze the city to the ground, then his daughters would… they would…

No.

It didn't bear thinking about.

The Gleam Eyes twitched as the two halves of its head came back together, John didn't waste time - the folded sheath that was the shield of Crocea Mors was roughly torn from John's hip and jammed into the titan's eye, John only lingered long enough to engage the mechashift function before jumping off and away.

The Gleam Eyes roared and clutched at its ruined face in obvious agony as John slammed into the ground, black blood gushing from the terrible _split_ in its skin and skull thanks to the shield. The beast thrashed and writhed as it tried to pull the metal from its face, utterly blind for a precious few moments.

John skidded across the ground roughly, his arms and legs burning from the exertion as he panted roughly.

A meaty palm slapped against his shoulder.

"Come with us!" It was Port, Oobleck and Ozpin. Though the Headmaster kept his eyes on the thrashing form of the Gleam Eyes as the portly professor spoke to John. "We should all retreat together!"

John slapped the heavy hand away. "No. I- I'll hold it off." God he hated that, it made him sound like those damn martyrs. "Go. Prepare Vale."

Oobleck stepped forward, his eyes hidden by his glasses. "What's your name?"

"John." He raised his sword, the blade gleaming with streaks of black blood. "John Arc."

He didn't wait to see if they were surprised. He didn't even care anymore, all he wanted was for this Grimm to die.

Aura pooled in his legs, and a moment later he was charging the beast again. He… had a promise to keep.

He only hoped Jane was waiting for him.

* * *

 **Evacuation shuttle, many years ago…**

 **Two years, eleven months and one week after the Fall of Amity.**

Grace Arc was scared.

Just like everyone else in the shuttle.

Like her twin sister Sarah, Grace was crying as she huddled closely with what was left of her family.

It was like a nightmare, truly it was. The fear that permeated the small room was almost noxious as the Arc girls huddled in the corner.

Grace was the youngest - if only by mere minutes, just recently having had her sixteenth birthday with her twin.

She told herself to be brave…

But it wasn't working.

It was like her entire life was crumbling away before her eyes - Violet disappearing right when Grace needed her most, and Dad staying behind to _die_ against a monster that was unbeatable. It was like the Vytal Festival all over again, the loss of family to something monstrous. Except this time instead of losing Jaune to himself, she was losing her Father and possibly her eldest sister to an impossible enemy.

"All this fear, all this anguish! It's even better than I imagined!"

Unbidden, Grace's eyes strayed to a tall man on the far side of the overly-cramped cabin, his black hair and golden eyes painfully small compared to the ear-to-ear smile twisting across his face.

"I do so love it when they _fear_."

What…?

It happened all at once; the quiet sobbing turned into horrified screams of pain as the unknown man leapt into action. Grace herself screamed in terror as blood splattered through the tight room, the black-haired man laughing wildly over the sound of screaming.

It was all happening so quickly; one moment the attacker was on one side of the cabin and the next he was half-way through the room and covered in the blood of the people he was massacring.

"Grace, get back!" Jade's - or was it Hazel's? - hands pulled Grace behind her, the eldest two Arc daughters putting themselves in the front.

"More, more, more!"

Grace shivered in terror as she heard the man shout joyously, the utter fear and gut-clenching dread in knowing that the madman was getting closer.

Why was he doing this? Who was he? Why-

Warm blood splattered across Grace's face and she jerked against the wall in shock.

Hazel and Jade slumped to the ground.

No, no, no, this couldn't be happening, this can't be happening-

Something wrapped around her neck.

"Aw, it looks like you're the last one left."

Grace's eyes widened as she clawed at the rigid hand holding her neck, her eyes wildly looking for her sisters. Hazel and Jade with matching cuts across their necks, Scarlet and Amethyst slowly bleeding out from holes in their chests, her own twin Sarah's head twisted at a grotesque angle.

Only her left.

"No-" She struggled and gagged against his iron grip, "Please! W-why are you doing this?"

It was a question of desperation, but she needed to know the answer regardless. So much death, her sisters, her family, all these people… all dead.

"Why, sweet thing?" The man laughed, "Because I want you to send a message for me! I want you to tell your brother something for me."

Dark spots danced around her vision and everything became fuzzy. Her brother…? She hadn't seen Jaune in years, she didn't even know if he was still alive. Violet and Dad knew something, but they, they….

"Ah, ah," The man cooed, his grip loosening just enough for Grace to breathe, "no dying before I tell you the message, sweet thing."

"W-What message?" She was so scared, she didn't want to die.

The man leaned in closely, his hot breath flush against her face. "When I send him to see you in hell, I want you to let him know that not only did he fail to protect his home, but he let his family die too!"

"No wai-!"

Grace slumped to the ground. She couldn't finish the last word; a sharp pain blossomed across her throat. It felt like fire had been poured over her neck.

Grace tried to say something, but only a wet gurgle escaped her mouth as her hands clutched at her neck.

"Remember dear, when you see your brother tell him Tyrian sent you. Do that for me, sweet thing?"

It hurt. It hurt. It hurt. Oh Gods why did it hurt so much?

She was afraid, she didn't want to die.

She didn't want to die.

She didn't want to die…

She…

The last thing Grace saw was Tyrian smiling down at her.

* * *

 **Vale, present day…**

A fire truck raced past him.

He should probably be feeling guilty.

He didn't.

The air was tinged with just the slightest taste of ash, and the whirr of fire engines rang clearly through the usual ambient noise of the city. Did Jaune feel bad for what he did? Was there any regret, even the slightest twinge of shame for his actions?

" _Walk, walk, walk little Betrayer. No matter how far you go, your past will never be far behind."_

No. Not particularly.

It actually reminded him of when he first got the fire Dust ring - the army of soldiers and hunters that he wiped out in Nihilus' home world. The smell and sound of a person burning alive was… well, it was many things. None of them particularly pleasant.

Jaune almost felt like laughing.

Burning down that club reminded him of a simpler time. When he first got the ring, when he had his first taste of murder… things were easier. To him there had been a clear right, and a clear wrong. Good and evil. Light and dark perhaps. But now… now Jaune knew.

A fool might say there were many shades of grey. That was wrong too though, for that implied there were some actions that are objectively _better_ than others.

So Jaune burnt down Junior's club. He burnt down Junior's men. And he burnt down _Junior_.

Because he wanted to. Because to him, family was more important.

What did the lives of a group of random strangers amount to compared to the lives of his family? What made their lives more important? What gave them more value than what he held dear? To others they may be important, but to him? They were no one. Nothing. Barely even a footnote compared to his family. And now he was long overdue in trying to find them and for some reason he felt a sense of… urgency.

" _My, my, your hypocrisy knows no bounds you foul roach."_

Jaune quickened his pace.

Perhaps it was hypocritical of him. When Nihilus 'died' it was because Jaune chose others over family. But now here he was, choosing family over the lives of others.

Did that make him evil? Did such a thing even exist anymore? The nightmares that Jaune himself had wrought upon others were terrible to behold, but they were nothing compared to the amount of blood Remnant had spilt. And for all Jaune's crimes, those he killed didn't compare to the scale or sheer monstrosity of what Nihilus had undoubtedly done.

But Nihilus is the way he is because he loves his family.

But Nihilus is a monster…

The contradiction made his head hurt.

" _You're here, Betrayer. Can you feel it? The anguish? The suffering and the hate?"_

Jaune blinked.

Nihilus was right, he had arrived.

The dark and ominous building before Jaune was a dirty and decaying thing, that much was clear at just a glance. Truthfully, the structure was likely far older than Jaune himself was; this was the area of the city designed specifically to deal with people arriving from settlements that were either under attack or were recently destroyed.

It had seen a lot of use.

But that was just how Remnant worked.

For his father and sisters to be here though… something must be terribly wrong. The Arc family wasn't exactly rich per se, but they were certainly a far cry from being poor. And John wouldn't allow any child of his to live in such squalor - the man would probably invade Atlas just to procure the right type of mattresses for his beloved children.

A rat scurried past Jaune's feet as he stepped into the building.

Something was _very_ wrong.

" _I'd hurry if I were you, Betrayer. It's going to happen soon."_

Jaune quickened his pace, his sharp footsteps taking him to the front desk - which depressingly had wire mesh between him and the receptionist, as though someone might try and use force to accost the clerk. Not that it would stop Jaune, but it was still disappointing that such a thing was needed.

Not that Jaune had any right to think such things, given that he just murdered at least a dozen innocent people.

He was an utter hypocrite.

"Hey," Jaune greeted quickly, dread pooling in his gut. He wasn't sure why, but he felt a terrible sense of unease putting him on edge. "I need directions to whatever room the Arc family are staying in."

The man looked up at Jaune with a startled expression twisting his face, "The Arc… family? Ah… there's a John Arc in room 2B just down the corridor. I wouldn't go in there if I were yo-"

" _Now Betrayer! Run."_

Jaune stopped listening, his legs already forcing him into a run towards the specified room. He could feel it, like something was twisting his insides painfully and that something was just intrinsically _wrong_.

With a crash, Jaune burst through the simple wooden door-

Just in time to see Crocea Mors impale his father.

John looked up from his kneeling position on the floor, his shaking hands clutching the tool of his suicide. "Oh, Jaune… it's you…"

"Dad!" Jaune cried, terror clawing at him as he rushed to his father's side. "No! Why? Why do this!?"

This couldn't be happening, it- it just couldn't. Not to him, not to family - not when Jaune had already lost so much. His father couldn't leave him, not like this.

A shudder passed through John's body, a wet cough hacking out of his mouth as he collapsed into Jaune's arms. "D-Dorme... " he whispered, tears streaming down his eyes. "Escaped, but… too many Grimm. Your sisters…"

Jaune clutched his father closely, his clothes rapidly staining from the blood pouring out of the terrible wound Crocea Mors had created. This couldn't be happening. "Where are they Dad, where are my sisters!?"

John's hand clutched weakly at Jaune's collar, his blood-soaked fingers clinging to his son like a lifeline. "T-The girls… too many Grimm… couldn't protect them all…"

No, no, no, it couldn't be like this. It couldn't go like this. It wasn't true, it just couldn't be. They couldn't be gone, they couldn't leave Jaune alone like this. Not after all he suffered through, not after he finally tried to find a way to be happy once again.

"Could only save Violet… hospital, coma…"

No, this must be a nightmare.

"Can you see me, Jane? I… couldn't keep my promise. I failed, I failed, I failed…"

Jaune held his father tighter. "No, Dad! Please don't die, come on, please!"

" _I'm sorry."_

He never got an answer.

* * *

893

* * *

 **A/N**

 **All dreams end when the dreamer awakens, every last one of them. But whether this dream was a nightmare or not… well, I suppose for John Arc it doesn't really matter now.**

 **Anyway, onto the reviews:**

 **The Powder Keg:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **That is A-okay.**

 **An interesting question, and not one I expected someone to ask. Bear in mind that the souls that Nihilus has within him are effectively dead - only very specific souls actually had some form of self-awareness (Ozpin, Ironwood, Violet), and this was due to either Nihilus not technically absorbing them or in the case of Violet very unique circumstances. If, let's say Cardin, was to find a book created by Nihilus using the soul of his counterpart he would experience something similar to what Weiss is. The only difference would be that the effect would stop as soon as Cardin stopped touching the book, whereas Weiss isn't quite so lucky.**

 **This would happen because Weiss is effectively a walking and talking version of what Nihilus does to the books - except without the added bonus of having Nihilus use her as, you know, a book.**

 **Good question, I really wasn't expecting it!**

 **ZHsteven:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Weiss did kinda get a shit deal out of it all, but the other characters really aren't much better off in that regard. Take Junior for example - people keep busting up his club, the most recent example being that time when someone burnt his club to the ground and killed him.**

 **I think short end of the stick is kind of a given for any character I feature…**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Yeah, except without the handy respawn function. Very astute given how things are going.**

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading, and don't forget to review! Seriously, I'm dying here.**


	42. Requiem For A Dream

Wraith

Chapter Forty-Two

Beta: Smithrooks

Requiem For A Dream

 **Dorme, many years ago…**

 **Two years, eleven months and one week after the Fall of Amity.**

"Jaune, we have to go!"

He was shaking, and it _burned._

Was it adrenaline perhaps? Or some mixture of terror and nerves maybe? Ultimately, it probably didn't matter all that much in the grand scheme of things, but that didn't do anything to change the way Jaune was feeling.

This was the first time Jaune had felt sunlight in years.

It was an odd thing really - one of those things that you don't really notice until you've lost it. But the feeling of direct sunlight on his face and hands was… nice. He probably looked like a ghost thanks to an utter lack of any tan, but to feel the sun again after so long was just-

"Damn it, Jaune!" Violet's hands clutched his shoulders and shook him roughly. "We can't afford to slow down. We need to _go_!"

 _Hungry_.

Trees shuddered as something terrible roared nearby.

He couldn't 'see' it of course, what with Grimm being outside of his usual field of perception. But in this particular case he didn't need to see it specifically - just seeing the terrible damage the Gleam Eyes was causing was enough to paint a picture. That, and the disembodied souls of the dead and dying were lingering around the now-broken village like a deathly fog.

It wasn't as though the stray souls of the dead illuminated the titanic Grimm, but rather they illuminated everything else and made the utter _absence_ that was the Gleam Eyes impossible to miss.

"Dad's out there," Jaune whispered. He was the only one left actually, everyone else was… "He's going to die."

 _Hungry._

Jaune could see that his aura was low, that his body was beginning to break down under the stress of the high intensity fight. Was that really going to be the fate of John Arc? The man who lost so much was going to lose even more by giving his life for a victory he'd never get to enjoy?

Violet pulled at his arm harshly, beckoning Jaune towards the opposite direction as the fight. "He knows," she pleaded with him. "But he's doing this for us, for our family. He's fighting because he loves us."

Jaune grew up on stories from John - stories that never had a happy ending. Tales of brave and noble hunters that would march against impossible enemies and die horrific deaths for their stupidity. John had always scoffed when he told these stories, he always said that martyrs were the greatest wastes of life imaginable - for what point was there in winning if you didn't get to enjoy the victory?

Was John's death going to be like that? Was he going to become one of the very martyrs he so despised?

Jaune felt his aura harden, his muscles tightening and his meagre supply of Dust

glow brightly within his pockets.

No. He wouldn't allow it.

 _Hungry._

Jaune gripped Violet's shoulder tightly. "No. I won't let it end like this, not after he's lost so much. I have to save him!"

Violet's soul flickered. "Jaune… I won't be able to stop you. But _please_ don't do this. Don't go."

He had to do it. After all, John Arc had lost, Jaune refused to let the man lose his life too. He wouldn't need to beat the Gleam Eyes, if such a thing was even possible. No, all he'd need to do was get his father out and then meet with his sisters before fleeing to Vacuo or something. Get the hell away from Vale before the monster made it there.

No one needed to die, _especially_ anyone he cared about. He could do it - he could play at being the hero once more and save his father. He could protect them all, his father and his sisters.

"Come with me," Jaune pleaded, "I can protect you both. I'll distract the Grimm and you can help Dad get away, then I'll slip away. We can all make it out of this!"

"Jaune…"

Was she crying? No, now was not the time for doubts. He could do this, he could finally _win_ for once. "Come on, Violet," he tugged her towards the battle urgently; John didn't have much time. "I can do it, but I need your help."

Violet's soul flickered, the indecision warring within her was plain for Jaune to see. She was nervous and afraid, and rightly so considering what they were going up against. But Jaune was stronger than he'd ever really been before; large scale Dust use wasn't something he'd used since leaving Beacon, but very precise control was his area of mastery. And should the absolute worst case scenario occur, he could simply release his control of his semblance and use the power of eight hundred souls to boost his physical might to that of a god.

He couldn't lose.

 _Hungry._

"Okay," Violet whispered, her voice over-shadowed by a beastial roar in the distance. "Let's save Dad."

Excellent.

Violet yelped as Jaune threw her over his shoulder and into a piggyback position - they could just run, but that would be slower. He may have lived as basically a hermit for the past three years, but aura was wonderful at keeping the body in excellent physical condition. Violet may have been physically fit, but she had nothing on anyone who lived - or used to live - the lifestyle of a hunter.

Jaune marveled at the feeling of wind rushing through his hair, at the sensation of the sun burning his skin softly. Things he'd missed for years now, and only now - just as he was about to fight a potentially immortal opponent - was he feeling them again. Fate was rather cruel like that.

Within moments Jaune brought them to the battlefield, his aura-enhanced sprint zooming past any obstacles that may have stood in their path.

It was almost painful for Jaune to gaze upon the ruination caused by the battle. The terrible rends and damage caused by the destructive rage of the Grimm was still beautiful in its own way of course; such was the case with all things when aura sight was used. But this was his home. For nineteen of his twenty years Jaune had lived in Dorme, and now the outer edges of the town were so utterly overfilled with the souls of the dead that it was stifling.

And the Gleam Eyes itself was something else entirely - he couldn't see _it_ but he could see the overwhelming despair and agony that was _soaking_ it. A terrible beast that roared horrifically as it rampaged and battled John Arc.

"Dad!" Violet cried as Jaune let her off his shoulders. "Dad, we need to leave!"

 _Hungry._

John Arc was on the verge of death, that much was clear to Jaune's blind eyes. Several broken bones, body shutting down, intense aura depletion… it was a miracle that he'd survived this long. But then again, it was never hatred or anger that drove John Arc into what he was or to the power he held. It was love.

"Violet?" John gasped for air as he skidded to a halt near them. "Jaune? What are you doing here?! I told you to run!"

Jaune would show that he was exactly like his father. "Violet, get him out of here! I'll distract the Grimm and then get away!"

Jaune felt the thrum of energy pass through his body as the Gleam Eyes gladly roared its hate at its new opponent. Dust was power, Dust was energy in a crystal form - all it needed was _release_.

Jaune snapped his fingers.

The titan wailed in agony as its eyes boiled within their sockets.

"Jaune," John staggered forwards and half-collapsed into Violet's arms. "Don't do it. Don't play at being a hero."

 _Hungry._

"Get out of here!" Jaune snarled, ignoring his father's words. "I'll follow soon!"

All the deaths, all the suffering and the misery this one Grimm had caused… it was too much. But worse than that, it tried to take away his _family_. His home and life were one thing, but his _family_? No. That was too far, too great a price to pay to such a terrible monster.

He would make it _suffer_.

Jaune clicked his fingers again, fire Dust sparking and igniting in less than a second. It was amazing how quickly the tongue could be rendered to a bubbling grease.

The Gleam Eyes thrashed wildly and gagged even as its mouth regrew in a matter of moments.

But it wasn't an SS class society ender for no reason; the second the pain became bearable the Grimm was on the move. In a single massive motion that left Jaune and the ones he protected staggering backwards, the beast _stomped_.

It felt as though Remnant itself shuddered under the mighty and unbelievable force the beast displayed. Violet and John avoided the worst of it and were only forced to the ground thanks to being further away, but Jaune was not quite so lucky.

It felt as though the ground beneath his feet heaved him from his place and flung him into the air. Jaune gasped as his breath was robbed from him, his aura shielding him from the worst of the damage but none of the pain as he _slammed_ back into the ground.

 _Hungry._

Less than a moment later the Gleam Eyes was upon him, the ferocious beast snarling viciously in his face, its breath scorching hot with the promise of a swift and fiery death.

Jaune didn't think, he didn't have time to. One moment he was trying to catch his bearings and the next he felt the looming heat of the powerful fire breath of the beast about to consume him. It didn't matter how much aura he personally had - such an attack would kill even the mightiest of hunters.

The fire pressed down on him, and with the greatest will Jaune could muster he reached deeply into the power of his fire Dust and willed it to _bend_.

It _hurt_.

It was like trying to blot out a star using only a bucket of water, too much too fast. Jaune screamed in horrific agony as the fire curled around him; the only thing shielding him from an _extremely_ painful death was his unbreakable will.

Like being fired out of a cannon, Jaune felt himself being flung backwards into Dorme proper, his smoking hot body slamming into the nearest house with the force of a freight train.

Every inch of his body hurt. Jaune slid to the ground and felt his body shudder in agony at the horrid burns covering his skin - a testament to his survival, or perhaps a testament to his failure to entirely stop the attack.

"Jaune!"

Jaune's head shot up. His blind gaze focussed on the source of his father's voice. No… why were they still here!? He was meant to be buying them time!

John Arc ran, well, staggered, towards Jaune. "Jaune! No! Please don't be dead, don't you d-!"

" _Move!"_ Far faster than Jaune would have thought physically possible, Violet _shoved_ John forwards, her thin frame displaying a strength Jaune didn't realise she had.

But only a second later, she screamed in agony.

Coated in the lifeblood of his sister, Jaune could see the fingernails of the Gleam Eyes, each as long and sharp as a claymore spearing _through_ Violet.

The Gleam Eyes let out a horrifically human-sounding laugh as the body slid _wetly_ off its fingers.

"NO!" John roared, his soul _shattering_ under the weight of loss.

Jaune could only watch in silent horror as his father rushed forwards, Crocea Mors swinging violently and brutishly towards the titanic monster. This couldn't be happening, it wasn't meant to go this way. He was meant to fight the monster, push it back to they could escape…

It wasn't meant to go this way.

The Gleam Eyes reared its head back and _bit_.

John Arc roared his defiance and hatred even as the Grimm's teeth sawed him in half and tore him to ribbons in its mouth. One moment he was there, and the next he simply _wasn't_.

To Jaune it felt as though the entire world just crashed down around him.

He was alone.

He had _failed._

* * *

 **Vale, present day…**

Jaune was accustomed to suffering, he knew what death and anguish was like. He had walked over a mountain of corpses to get where he was.

And yet, as he held the body of his father, Jaune felt as though the entire world was falling apart around him.

A sob tore through his body.

John Arc…

He had never been a perfect father, but never had Jaune or any of his sisters _ever_ doubted that he loved them with every fibre of his being. John had always tried his absolute hardest to make his children happy, to see his kids smile and laugh in a way that he himself was simply incapable of after the death of his wife.

And now he was dead.

Why? Why was this happening? His sisters, his father… it wasn't fair. Why did everything go so terribly _wrong_ when Jaune left for Beacon? Why did it all _hurt_ so much?

It was a kind of pain completely beyond the physical, something so much deeper in nature that Jaune couldn't even begin to comprehend it in its entirety. It was like something was just… _gone_. Some deep and important part of his soul was _dead_.

"Come on, Dad…" Jaune sobbed as he held the bloody corpse close, "Don't do this… I… please don't leave me, I don't think I can survive without you…"

" _I'm sorry, Betrayer. I… did not foresee this."_

Jaune's eyes widened.

"Nihilus!" He gasped raggedly, "You can bring him back, right? You can bring them all back to life! Like you brought me back!"

That was it, that was the solution to this nightmare. Nihilus could bring his family back, he could solve everything and it would all be okay again. Things could go back to the way they used to be; Jaune could… he could leave Beacon, and they could all be together as a family again. They could play board games and watch TV and-

" _I can't do that."_

It was like a lance being driven into his heart.

"Why not!?" Jaune shouted furiously, desperation clouding over him.

" _The souls of our sisters have already moved on. They are beyond my power. As for father… would you really want him to suffer as you have? To live a half-life of ruination and and suffering? Assuming he doesn't simply kill himself again."_

Jaune clutched the rapidly cooling body closer as grief and terrible pain lanced through his heart.

How could he have forgotten? How could he be so _selfish_ to even suggest it? Was his own happiness really worth so much to him that he would even suggest putting his family through the same nightmare he lived in daily? Just what kind of monster was he really, to even _think_ it?

To call what he was feeling 'sadness' would have been an utter lie. There were no words, human or otherwise to describe the total despair that coursed through Jaune's spirit. No comforts could be given, not for something of this nature. It was as though the entire world had just ended before his very eyes.

"Why did this happen…?" Jaune whispered as he hugged his dead father. "Why, Dad? First Mum, then you and my sisters…"

Why did everything have to wither and die around him? Why did everything have to turn to ash? Why did-

His scroll was ringing.

* * *

 **Dorme, many years ago…**

 **Two years, eleven months and one week after the Fall of Amity.**

This was _his_ home.

 _Jaune_.

Hatred welled up from the deepest depths of her spirit as Ruby glared at the, frankly, lovely home that _monster_ grew up in. It was empty now of course, what with the entire town's population of civilians having been evacuated mere minutes earlier.

But the stillness, the complete serenity and the _peace_ of this place was infuriating. Jaune didn't deserve something like this. He didn't deserve a home, not when he'd taken away her father and uncle. _Her_ home was nothing like this anymore. _Her_ home was cold, empty and _desolate,_ despite Yang's best efforts.

"Calm down, Rubes. We can't afford to waste time."

Ruby glanced at her older sister, her reassuring presence a balm for the younger huntress. She was right - they couldn't afford to linger too long. They were meant to be out there fighting the Grimm like everyone else, like Weiss and Blake were. But this was a chance they'd never get again.

Ozpin had never allowed them - Ruby and Yang that was - to interrogate John Arc and his daughters personally. He said they'd already been cleared of both involvement and knowledge of Jaune's current whereabouts. He said that they would only cause trouble, that nothing would be gained.

But what did Ozpin know? He was old and without family, he didn't understand the kind of _urgency_ knowing a loved one was in danger could create. He didn't have to live knowing that the monster that killed her father and uncle was free to cause more hurt and harm. They could have forced Jaune out of hiding years ago if they'd only been able to make it here.

But this worked too - they may not be able to intimidate the Arc family into revealing Jaune's location, but they could certainly look for clues regarding his whereabouts.

"You search the other bedrooms, Yang," Ruby ordered. "I'll look around the master bedroom, see if there's anything that could point us in the right direction."

Yang nodded and scurried away.

Ruby held her scythe to the ready as she stepped into the room. This was the home of that monster after all - there was no telling what kind of sick or devious kind of people his parents were, to spawn someone as twisted as Jaune.

It was a simple room, odd really. Even in the face of her righteous anger, Ruby felt a slight… wrongness when she looked about the room.

The half nearest the door and where Ruby herself was was slightly unkempt, but overall still had a very lived-in feel to it.

But it was like there was an invisible line running through the room - right down the middle of the bed.

The other half of the room looked… timeless. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust - the boring kind - and it looked as though someone had just… left everything. Like whoever Jaune's parents were just _stopped_ using that half of the bed and room.

Hesitantly, Ruby stepped deeper into the room, silently forcing her silver eyes to leave the empty and… sad… half of the room.

The lived-in portion of the room wasn't much to comment on - just a bookshelf, a wardrobe and a cluttered bedside table. But there was a distinct… melancholy about the room that Ruby couldn't quite put her finger on. Like there was a terribly sad secret that she simply wasn't privy to.

Ruby's eyes roved the room; all the while, she felt like an intruder. Which, technically, she was. But this felt more personal, rather than just mere breaking and entering.

Something horrific roared in the distance. They were running out of time.

Ruby's eyes landed on a book by the bedside table.

There was almost something hypnotic about it. Everything else in the room seemed to fade away as Ruby unthinkingly walked towards it. There was no title, no colourful covering or writing. Just a plain, leather-bound book.

Her fingers brushed the cover.

All at once it felt like she was on fire, like her skin was bubbling and melting and roasting and-

The heat left just as quickly as it came. But now there was a sense of… familiarity.

 _"Hey Dad,"_ that was Jaune's voice! _"Did I ever tell you about the happy times I had at Beacon? The friends I made and the fun I had?"_

That was Jaune's voice, no doubt about it. But there was something else, something about the way the book felt in her hand that made Ruby's heart ache. Something… _familiar._

 _"I'm sure it's not hard to believe, but I made a total ass of myself the moment I arrived, hahaha."_ It really was Jaune. But… what was he talking about? Beacon, obviously. But why? _"I puked my guts out the second I got off the airship. Then I met a pretty girl and made my first friend. Ruby Rose, she was called… she was as awkward as I was, so I think we balanced each other out."_

He was… telling his father about her? About them? Why…? He was a monster, not… not a real person. Bad guys weren't meant to be like this. Not at all. And why the hell did the book feel so familiar? It was like having something on the tip of her tongue - she _knew_ that feeling, but she just couldn't place it.

 _"Before initiation I met another girl, I didn't even know she was meant to be famous. I thought she was just like the rest of us… I was wrong. Pyrrha Nikos became my best friend, the person I trusted most and relied on the most. She's a kind soul, I wonder what she thinks of me now…"_

Yeah, and look where that friendship got him. Pyrrha hardly ever spoke anymore - the champion was just silent and distant whenever Ruby or her team tried to speak to her. Obviously she thought Jaune was a monster.

She must. Just like everyone else.

Something tickled in the back of her mind.

 _"I'd like to see her again one day, even if she didn't know it was me or even if it's fifty years from now. I'd like to speak with her, tell stupid jokes and laugh with her."_ Fat chance of that happening. The only time he would see _anything_ other than her scythe would be when he went to the pits of hell.

 _"After initiation and my injuries, I found out I was partnered with a guy called Cardin Winchester. Nice guy, a bit of a lump sometimes… but he was my friend."_ Ironic, considering that Jaune killed his entire team - such good friends, buddies even. _"Stuff happened, I did some stupid things and apparently I became a hero because I set myself on fire to stop some Grimm in Vale."_

A… hero. Yes, maybe he was one once. They'd promised to be heroes together - and Jaune even saved Vale from the Grimm during the Breach. But… he wasn't a hero, he couldn't be. If he were, why would he chose to activate his horrid semblance during the festival? Why would he perfectly position himself so he could kill so many in the blink of an eye? No, Jaune Arc wasn't a hero. His reckless and wanton use of his disgusting semblance was proof of that.

 _"I had good times and I had bad, I loved having friends, I loved living my life. Everything was going well, I was becoming the hero I always dreamed of being… and then, father, it was as though the dream came crashing down around me."_

Gah, what was that feeling? It was so familiar, like something she'd spent her whole life around but hadn't really noticed until it was gone. An aura to the book, something like- like unwashed clothes and whiskey. Almost like…

No. He didn't. It was too painful to bear thinking about. The dark reddish glow to the book couldn't be what she was thinking.

 _"You taught me that evil is just a word, that under the skin it is simple pain. But I know now that innocence is chrysalis… a phase designed to end."_ Damn him. Damn Jaune straight to hell. He was a monster - he couldn't be like this. He couldn't be this… this sad! He didn't have the _right_ to be sad - he hadn't suffered as they did! _"For you, mercy was victory. You sacrificed, you endured, and when given the chance you forgave... always."_

He had to be lying. There- there was no other way. What he did to this book was _monstrous_ and yet he still had the gall to sound like he regrets everything? No, no, it was too much - it was a lie.

And yet, as Ruby felt the familiar soul of her uncle Qrow shift within the book, she knew it to be true.

 _"When I was young, I dreamed and desired. But for all my want of the life of a hunter, you shot me down. Didn't you want me to be like you? I was so sure I could save everyone… But I regret. I regret more than ever… My semblance is a curse. Would that I could never have unlocked it."_

Ruby shuddered and fell to her knees, tears threatening to fall as the book followed her to the ground. Curse him… she was the one who was wronged. She was the one who was meant to suffer for his actions. Why couldn't he be evil? Why couldn't he be the bad guy like the ones in all the stories? Damn him for making her feel pity.

 _"For me, the dream of being a hunter is over… and in waking, I am alone."_

No. He didn't deserve it, not by miles. But that didn't stop the swell of pity that clouded her heart. _Why_ couldn't things be simple? Was it not enough that she'd lost her father and uncle? Now she had to live knowing that she'd lost a _friend_ too? That Jaune wasn't just some psychopath?

 _"I've looked into the heart of the world, and I am afraid. Afraid of all that I have seen, all that I could see… the world is about to change. Perhaps there is no name for what I am, but I know the world is about to change. I had thought that I would be a defender, a protector… yet, as you and I sat in the dark together, I wondered if even I could be redeemed. But father… I am afraid."_

No…

She'd spent _years_ believing he was a monster. She found his old home and found that he'd stuffed her uncle's soul in some random book, she _watched_ as Amity slammed into the forest outside the city, she witnessed the horrific fire that tore through Forever Fall and rent the woods into ashes.

But for all that, all the anger and all the hatred… she pitied him. She hated herself for it, but the bubble of pity was too much. It was too real, too _raw_.

" _Ruby!_ " Yang's shriek from the other side of the house pulled Ruby from her self-loathing. "It's Jaune! He's outside!"

Ruby tightly clutched the now silent book in her hands. Was this really it? After such a painful revelation as the one she just had, she was to fight Jaune _now_?

She wasn't sure she could do it.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

It was Jaune, it was Jaune, it was Jaune…

The mantra wouldn't stop pounding away in Weiss' mind.

She had already known he was important somehow - the constant references to his name and the blessed silence from the voices around him was clue enough. But this new information, the knowledge that these nightmares were all related to him on a deeper level was… groundbreaking. With this knowledge, she could… what, exactly? Force him to help her? Convince him to do something?

When she'd confronted him in Beacon originally, he'd blamed Nihilus - calling it a curse, saying that perhaps she had been _infected_ just as he had. But if the root cause was Nihilus, then why was it all about Jaune? Why did none of the voices speak about Nihilus himself? It was always RWBY speaking about Jaune, about how much of a monster he was, about pain and regret and suffering.

Weiss eased her way out of bed.

Jaune was a terribly damaged individual, even Weiss could see that; it was hard to miss the faraway looks in his eyes, the misery and the anguish. But Weiss had always attributed his sorrow to either a poor upbringing or, more likely, his experiences with Nihilus himself. But what if it was more than that?

The voices and the visions all spoke of terrible things happening and being done by Jaune. Words of disaster and and suffering that Weiss could freely admit she didn't fully understand. But the things they spoke about were… impossible. Ruby killing Pyrrha and her daughter, Atlas on fire, the Vytal Festival and Amity ending in untold misery…

All things that were simply impossible.

But the _pain_ , the raw _rage_ that was in Jaune's voice as he… as he…

" _I will never forgive you… I will never forgive any of you!"_

Weiss shuddered as the dregs of memory washed over her.

Something like that… it was so _real_. Unlike the thin and shallow emotions of everyday life, something so completely… more.

It was _real_. Of that Weiss no longer had any doubt. Things like that… they couldn't be faked, not simulated or created just to manipulate. Raw agony on that level was beyond the means of mere acting or projection. It was too deep, too personal.

But as real as it was… it couldn't be Jaune.

It was, but it wasn't.

Jaune was damaged, he was hurt and he was wounded in a way that Weiss didn't fully grasp.

But Jaune was also… empty.

It was in his eyes, there simply _wasn't enough_ left of him to feel such raw emotion.

But Jaune wasn't the cause of the nightmare she found herself in, _Nihilus_ was.

Why didn't she see it before? Why had she never connected the dots until now? The unknown huntress fought with a scythe that looked _exactly_ like Ruby's, and not only that, the woman looked almost like a mirror image of Ruby herself! And- and the sword Nihilus used to stab her, that looked almost identical to Pyrrha's sword.

And not only that; the visions themselves painted a terrible picture. They showed a man called _Jaune_ locked in a deep, dark cell, left to wallow in his own insanity for _years_ , a man with blind eyes and a profound and utter _hatred_ for the world around him.

It was insane, nuts and totally unbelievable… but it was the only answer that really made sense to her. The huntress that 'stopped' Nihilus, the mystery team that fought Nihilus in Vale when he first appeared, the Lord of Hunger himself…

It was team RWBY and _Jaune_.

Nihilus was _Jaune_.

To anyone outside of her experiences and knowledge it would make no sense, but to Weiss it was as though clarity overcame everything. It made _sense_ \- which was amazing, considering the utter absurdity of it all. But Nihilus was an… alternate version of Jaune. Perhaps what Jaune was meant to become had Nihilus not intervened, or perhaps Jaune could even still become Nihilus and it was all some kind of paradoxical loop.

She… she had to call Jaune. She didn't know where he was, but she had to speak to him, talk to him about this amazing revelation she'd had.

Shakily, Weiss' pale fingers pawed at her scroll, her body shaking with adrenaline from her discovery. She had to speak to Jaune about this, she had to mull over this new information. Maybe try and find out exactly what else Jaune knew about Nihilus, and maybe-

"Hello…?"

Weiss gagged at the sight of Jaune's face.

 _Blood._

* * *

 **Vale, present day…**

Nihilus cradled the soul of the father that was never his.

The Betrayer had gone into shock, and perhaps Nihilus himself was feeling a degree of surprise from this most recent turn of events.

He was a creature of hatred and unending loathing, but… that didn't mean he didn't feel pain.

"Is this what you wanted, father?" he whispered into the empty void of the world around him. It wasn't really empty, but rather he chose not to let anyone hear him.

It was a… kindness.

The soul of John Arc was… wounded. Not only from its current state of decay - as was the nature of all souls that died - but also due to the terrible rends and wounds the man had suffered in life. Was this to be the fate of John Arc in all worlds? To die in such abject emotional agony and to wallow in a never-ending pool of self hatred?

Was this truly the fate of all Arc men who wanted to protect their family? Was this some twisted form of destiny, or perhaps fate? No, no… such things didn't exist. The original Gods of Remnant were long since dead, felled an eternity before the Arc family even came into being. Salem, for all her failings, had seen to that. _Destiny_ didn't exist.

John Arc was just unlucky then.

Perhaps that was something Nihilus shared with his father.

"Go then," Nihilus whispered as he allowed the last brilliant motes of John Arc's soul vanish into the void of death. "Go and be with your daughters and wife. And if you see Violet and Pyrrha there… tell them I'm…"

John Arc's soul faded away.

" _I'm sorry."_

What did it matter anyway? This wasn't his John Arc. This man didn't sit with him in the dark when Nihilus was young. He never said kind words to Nihilus or kept him company when the whole world was looking for him. This wasn't the John Arc that carried the delirious son out of Vale when it was swarming with Grimm and murderous robots - all the while with a broken arm and broken ribs. This wasn't the John Arc he'd failed to save.

"Hello…?"

Who _dared_ call the Betrayer at a time like this?! And why the hell did the worm answer the scroll? He had better things to be doing!

"Jaune, what- what the hell happened!? You're covered in blood!"

Weiss. The silly broken little girl, couldn't she have picked a better time to… do whatever it is she was going to do?! The Betrayer was busy drowning in his misery! Couldn't she see that!?

"Weiss…" was the Betrayer crying? That was a surprise - Nihilus was almost beginning to think that the fool had run out of tears. "My father… he killed himself…"

 _Something is wrong_.

The realisation passed through Nihilus like lightning.

Weiss' soul was… different.

Where were the shards? The damage and the terrible rends? They were gone!

In an instant, Nihilus left the Betrayer's side, the dead God unfolding before the paradoxical form of Weiss Schnee. Her soul - it wasn't, _shouldn't be,_ possible. It had… reformed? She wasn't Weiss Schnee, but she was. The bright and unstained colour of the younger girl wasn't marred by the terrible dark patches of the elder version of the girl anymore. The shards of the original Weiss were just _gone_.

But she wasn't what she used to be either - it was somewhere in between. Like… like two contrasting points of who she was and who she could have been had met in the middle and _merged_.

But that shouldn't be possible.

That was creating a soul. Something even he, for all his might, couldn't do. It was almost as though she were a new person entirely. Like-

She was staring right at him.

Not past him, or through him, or at anything behind him. _At him_.

"Okay, Jaune," she said softly into the scroll, her eyes never leaving the distinctly _invisible_ form of Nihilus. "I've texted Pyrrha and she's going to run over and help. Just… don't do anything you'll regret." She quietly ended the call.

She seriously shouldn't be able to see him right now. Nihilus was bending _reality_ enough that even the quasi-God Salem shouldn't have been able to see him. One little girl who he killed/didn't kill shouldn't be able to perceive him.

"Are you… Nihilus?"

Okay, come the fuck on. He was a literal _God_ , how on Remnant was this happening? What the hell was she doing? One little peek into her mind ought to solve this, clear away whatever this madness was and-

 _Pain_.

It was almost like running face-first into a brick wall.

Nihilus felt his soul shudder, his attempt to worm his way into Weiss' head failing _utterly_ as he recoiled. That shouldn't be possible - just another thing to add to that growing list - but she was dead.

Literally dead.

Not even dead like he was - the kind of dead that, if you mastered it, granted near omnipotence. She was the kind of dead that Nihilus _dared_ not venture near, the kind that if his will slipped for even a single moment he would end up as. She was the same kind of dead as his wife, his daughter, his father, and all the others he'd left behind.

The type that was _gone_.

"Are you… okay?"

And yet here she was.

* * *

893

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Words fail** _ **profoundly**_ **to describe the kind of shitty week I've had. So let's just move straight to the reviews:**

 **The Powder Keg:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **The trope of 'cut of the head' is generally based upon the idea of removing or destroying the brain - the latter of which Ozpin and John both actually did during the fight. So no, while removing its head would certainly delay it and slow the Gleam Eyes down for... say, ten seconds, it wouldn't actually kill it.**

 **The difficulty isn't damaging the Grimm - because that's quite easy, but rather damaging it enough in a single attack. Reducing it to a pile of ashes would certainly be the most efficient way to go about it.**

 **Follower:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Nihilus did indeed visit other versions of Remnant besides his own and one he's in now. As for me writing one-shots about these other worlds… that would be fairly redundant considering they are going to be part of the main story anyway. Although technically if you wanted you could already go read about one of the alternate worlds mentioned - it's actually just my other story Edge of Life. If you're looking for large-scale destruction then that's certainly a good place to go…**

 **Nihilus is actually pretty apathetic about most things unless - he is essentially cosmically aware, he knows that no matter what he does in this universe or any other it won't matter or make any difference. That's the reason behind his name - the only thing that** _ **matters**_ **is his life and his existence. And eh, you'll see his reaction to the multiverse later.**

 **While technically you are correct (and very observant) in saying that I never specified which world Nihilus married Pyrrha and had Violet in, I will now - it's his home universe. He wasn't in the others for long enough for such things to happen.**

 **Thanks for the long review.**

 **Guest:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Charming. You do realise that if you don't like what I write you can just, you know,** _ **not read it**_ **?**

 **But no no, it's fine. Keep insulting me, what's one more person to add to the list of people that hate me?**

 **Romulus Black Talon:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Such is life. John tried his hardest and for a time it worked for him; he had a wife and kids, he lived happily and got his happy ever after. But unlike in fairy tails when the knight rides off with the princess the story doesn't end - life goes on to find new and unique ways to crush you. At least the John of Nihilus' time may get to die believing he saved his family. Or not, as the case may be. At least he died thinking he saved**

 _ **most**_ **of his family.**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Answered this with long PM conversation…**

 **ZHsteven:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **John Arc has got rather shitty luck, doesn't he? Not every story has a happy ending, especially if you're an Arc and stuck with me as your writer.**

 **John's suicide will have an effect on Jaune, and it will twist him to a more... invested character. You'll see.**

* * *

 **Thanks again for reading, and remember to leave a review.**


	43. Blazing Ashes

Wraith

Chapter Forty-Three

Beta: Smithrooks

Blazing Ashes

 **Beacon, present day…**

Weiss stared at the ghost before her.

He stared back at her.

Nihilus was a sickly looking creature, enough so that even Weiss felt a stab of pity upon seeing him. He looked only distantly similar to what he'd appeared as on the television when he first arrived - and even looked only vaguely like what he did during his fight with the _other_ -Ruby.

He'd looked monstrous before, but now he looked… broken.

Gone was the ghostly white skin and hair; he was still pale, but naturally so, as if he hadn't been in the sun for years. But it was more than that - he'd seemed like an outright monster before, like he'd been tainted by Grimm and something wholly unhuman.

Disregarding the fact that Nihilus - _Jaune_ \- was literally transparent and a ghost, he looked… like he'd been mauled by a bear. His face was split in three by three massive grisly scars, and his eerily pale eyes that could only be blind stared at her with a strange intensity unlike anything Weiss had seen before.

His hair was still long and messy, but at least it was blonde now, not the bone-white that he'd had before. It was uneven and poorly kept - not entirely out of poor maintenance, but Weiss got the impression that it simply wasn't important. Like it wasn't even a factor.

And he looked _old_. Thanks to aura refreshing skin cells, hunters tended to gain a generally ageless look about them, so people like Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch looked far younger than they actually were. The same was true for Nihilus; gone was any of the residual baby fat that the Jaune she knew had. Nihilus, an _older_ Jaune, looked perhaps thirty or forty; it was hard to tell given just how torn up his face was. But what truly made him seem ancient were his eyes, unnaturally pale but still terribly tired. Like he'd seen an eternity pass him by.

" _How can you see me?"_

Weiss blinked. That was… odd. She knew he had spoken, but the words themselves didn't really register as _sound_. It was as though he had spoken, but at the same time he hadn't.

It was an odd question too - was she not meant to see him? The revelation of his identity was rather startling, but no more startling than the man - the _dead_ man himself - appearing out of thin air right in front of her.

"How…" Weiss wasn't entirely sure what to say, in all honesty. What _could_ she say? 'Oh hey, that guy I've been having visions of suffering and pain about. How's it going?' This was crazy, absolutely insane. But, as with all things, perhaps it was best to start at the beginning. "You're… Jaune Arc?"

Nihilus' face twisted hatefully, the horrid scars giving him a fearsome visage. _"No! Stupid little girl, I am Nihilus. Now tell me how you can see me!"  
_

"I don't know," Weiss growled back at him. She did _not_ appreciate being spoken to that way, regardless of who it was. "How are you here? You're meant to be dead."

" _So are you, yet here you are."_

So was she? What did he- oh god. The other Weiss… the one that was with the not-Ruby. He must have killed her just like he did Ruby. Maybe… maybe the visions she was seeing were the memories of the other Weiss? Memories of the life she was meant to live, or perhaps the life she had yet to live. Maybe even memories of the life she _would_ have led, were it not for the interference of… whatever Jaune became.

"I don't know why any of this happened to me," Weiss admitted freely, her temper cooling slightly, "I don't know why I can see you. I don't know why I'm seeing and hearing things from a life I never lived. I don't know why I'm speaking to a ghost of a man I know is also in downtown Vale. _But_ I know I want answers - so speak up."

Nihilus' face shifted, all traces of anger or rage draining away in an instant as mirth overcame his gnarled and ugly features. _"Ha! As forthright as ever little Schnee, you see what you want and you move to take it - I like that! Very well, I shall… deign to answer your questions. Listen closely!"  
_

Weiss blinked.

Was it really that easy? All the buildup and all the infuriating rage and hurt caused by her recent situation was just going to be answered? Just like that?

Well, things were finally going her way apparently. Go team...

The ghostly man laughed roughly, his voice oddly similar yet distinctly different to that of Jaune's. _"In order: Because I killed your counterpart and shattered her soul in such a manner that the shards clung to the closest match they could find. I don't know, but it makes me very mad. Because I killed Weiss Schnee, not the components that made her such. Because he and I are not the same and having a ghost appear before you reasonably raises a few questions."_

…what?

Nihilus looked quite pleased with himself as he began to lazily _ooze_ about the room, his spectral figure never quite making contact with anything, but rather passing through whatever was in his way as he inspected the RWBY dorm room.

Wait, no, he said it was in order. She said she didn't know why any of this was happening to her - he said that he killed her… counterpart and shattered her soul? Okay, that… just raised more questions. Then he said he didn't know why she could see him, that one was straight-forward at least. Then he said-

"Weiss!"

" _Don't you dare die Weiss!"_

The door slammed open with the force of a Ruby-sized huntress - which to Weiss' horror, was actually Ruby, Yang and Blake just coming back. The echo of Ruby's voice, the words she hadn't ever spoken to Weiss, were also vaguely distressing.

"It's not what it looks like!" Weiss gasped as her eyes darted between her teammates and the ghostly apparition of Jaune. This was bad - what conclusions would they jump to if they saw her speaking to him?! The loss of reputation! The shame! The-

"What isn't what it looks like?" Ruby questioned as she stepped into the room, silver eyes never once straying in the direction of the dead man. _"Damn it Jaune, why now?! Why couldn't you- Oh god, his leg!"_

Weiss paused, her eyes settling onto Ruby for a moment before flickering to the transparent image of the elder Arc. He grinned at her savagely as Weiss glanced at his leg. _"My, my, you look like you've seen a ghost. Do the whispers of the dead bother you?"  
_

Bastard. He knew _exactly_ what was wrong with her, he was choosing not to help!

It was worse too because _apparently_ the rest of RWBY couldn't see him. The three girls spread into the room to do their own things, each utterly oblivious to the fifth presence in the room. But Weiss' eyes never left the blind orbs of the dead man as he inspected each girl in turn.

A disgusted expression twisted across his face as he peered at Yang, Weiss herself ready to react at a moment's notice if he were to try anything. _"I'd almost forgotten,"_ Nihilus scoffed, unheard to all but Weiss. _"Yang is shallow and common. True trash."_

Weiss restrained her snarl. Yang may be trying at times, but she wasn't trash! What gave this bastard the right to speak about her that way?

The older Jaune drifted over to Blake, his expression softening slightly. _"The Faunus. She was a wretched thing of pity and remorse. I'd keep an eye on this one, Schnee. One day she will leave and never return."_

Wait… Blake was a faunus?

Blake's bow twitched.

Huh… neat.

" _And here we have the little hero,"_ Nihilus scoffed as he settled his ghostly arms on Ruby's shoulders. _"She will follow her dream until it drags her down and drowns her."_ Blind eyes darted to Weiss, _"And if you're lucky, she might even make you the one that kills her."_

Weiss recoiled as though struck. That was… that wasn't true. Ruby wasn't like that; whatever version of Ruby that _he_ knew was different to this one. Twisted maybe, or - or just a different person. Jaune he may be, but whatever twisted this man into Nihilus obviously left some pretty deep mental scarring, PTSD maybe - the specifics didn't matter. He was… damaged.

"You okay there, Weiss-cream? You look a little pale," Yang asked from across the room. _"Stay back! I won't let you hurt her, you monster!"_

Weiss shook her head as she sat down on her bed, the mirrored voice of Yang ringing through her mind sharply. "I- Yes," she whispered. "I'm fine. Just a little tired."

"Well, why don't you get some sleep? It is the weekend after all," Blake said idly as she flipped a page of her latest book. _"Why, Jaune…? You were the best of us…"_

Something pulsed behind her eyes, the beginnings of a headache starting to eat away at her. "Yes…" Weiss whispered, her eyes never leaving the savagely grinning spectre of Jaune. "I think I will."

" _Be careful Weiss, don't let your nightmares become reality."_

Weiss couldn't help but wonder if he was speaking from experience.

* * *

 **Vale Hospital, present day…**

Pyrrha wasn't sure what to say.

There were so many things that she could have said, that she probably should have, even - but they all rang hollow in her mind. What good were empty words of pity and sorrow to someone like him? No, she knew her partner well enough to know that there was nothing she could say now to console him.

Pyrrha pretended she couldn't hear him sobbing.

Even Nora, for all her usual energy and positivity, couldn't find it within herself to speak; all she could do was clutch at Ren's arm like a lifeline.

And so all the three of them could do was watch.

At Weiss' instruction, Pyrrha, Ren and Nora had rushed to Jaune's location. Weiss had explained, if briefly, that Jaune's father had committed suicide, but that didn't prepare them for the sight of it when they found Jaune. The blood, the utter despair…

They'd done what they could of course, but it was already too late for John Arc.

And upon arriving at the central hospital to… dispose of the body, Pyrrha had found out that the tragedy wasn't finished yet. Looking at the mangled body of Violet Arc, Pyrrha couldn't help but think it was too late for her too.

Jaune hadn't even stopped to change his clothes, as blood-soaked as they were now. But that didn't stop him from desperately clutching his sister's hand as he sobbed.

"Perhaps," Ren whispered softly to Pyrrha and Nora, "we should give him some space."

Pyrrha gripped Jaune's shoulder tightly, the empty gesture of comfort more for her sake than his. "We'll be just outside, Jaune." She couldn't bear to look at him, the sheer misery contained within the room was palpable.

He didn't respond.

Quietly, the three young hunters shuffled out of the room.

Was this how it was always going to be for Jaune? Was his life destined to be one tragedy after another? Pyrrha didn't know anything about his life before Beacon, but… surely it hadn't always been this way? When she'd first met him, Jaune had been such a different person: happy, friendly, chatty…

The effect of Nihilus was cancerous, even after the man was dead. Maybe… maybe when Jaune was resurrected, the person she'd met never truly came back.

"He's breaking," Nora whispered as the three of them sat down outside the room. Her voice was deathly quiet, almost as though she was afraid to break the silence around them. "It's not fair."

No, it wasn't. But life wasn't fair - Nihilus had taught her that lesson. "I don't know what we can do," Pyrrha admitted. "The doctor said that his entire family-"

"We heard," Ren cut her off. "All Jaune has left is his sister."

What went unsaid was that there wasn't much left of her, either.

"He has us," Nora protested as she clutched Ren's arm tightly, her eyes wide and sad. "We're still here, we can-"

"Do what?" Pyrrha asked, "Ever since he came back he's been distant. He won't want our help." As much as that pained her to admit. Jaune didn't _want_ their help, so unless they forced the issue…

Jaune… simply wasn't the same person she'd met. The bright-eyed and hopeful young man that had flirted with Weiss before initiation was _gone_. In his place was the empty, hollow shell of a person that Nihilus had created. Jaune Arc was just… less, than he was before.

"We can still help him," Nora said softly, though Pyrrha got the impression she was trying to convince herself more than anything else. "We're his friends, his teammates. We can be there for him."

Pyrrha didn't bother replying. What was the point? Jaune would only accept their help if he actually wanted it. But the nightmare that Nihilus caused was seemingly never-ending; for all the might Jaune had gained, he could only find misery. Perhaps… perhaps it would have been kinder to have never revived him.

Pyrrha was disgusted that she'd even thought that.

But… she couldn't find it within herself to deny it.

"Yes," Ren muttered, drawing Nora in for a hug. "We will be there for him. Show him that he's not alone."

Pyrrha only wished she could share their optimism.

* * *

 **Vale Hospital, present day…**

Why…?

Why did everything come to this? Why must everything come to dust?

For all his strength, for all the might he possessed and for all the love he had for his family… it made no difference.

Was this some cruel joke, perhaps? Did the universe truly have nothing better to do than spite him? It never ended, all the misery he felt simply compounded as more and more happened. His father and his sisters… they were all gone, all except Violet.

Though, if only for her sake, it may have been kinder if she'd died from her injuries.

Jaune held her single remaining hand tightly.

The doctors had done what they could, obviously, but that didn't change the fact that it happened. An arm, a leg and an eye were the least of the things that Violet had lost. If she ever woke… she would find herself truly alone, save for Jaune himself. And what good was that? Imagine waking to a world devoid of everything you have ever known or loved, then discovering that one thing, one _person_ from your old life was still there.

Then imagine discovering that he was a broken shell of what he used to be.

Violet Arc would be alone.

"I'm sorry," Jaune wept as he held her hand close. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Violet had always been like a second mother to them all, especially after their actual mother had died. She was the one that had picked up the broken pieces of their father when Jane Arc died, she was the one that fed and cared for them when John couldn't.

But what was more misery in his life? More anguish and more suffering… it was almost becoming a joke to him now. How much further could the world push him? How much more could he endure before he snapped, just as John did before him? Next time, would it be Violet running in to find Jaune with Crocea Mors in his gut?

Was this all part of that wretched plan? The Memory of Nihilus had said that he'd engineered Jaune's life to be one of sufferance… was this just another part? Another _step_?

The thought probably should have left him shaking in rage, but instead Jaune merely felt… alone.

To show Nihilus that joy could be found even in the deepest depths of despair, to show him that he was wrong about the world. Heh, Jaune was turning into quite the good little puppet. He danced alone just as the strings were pulling him, just as his puppet-master ordered.

What good was there in fighting against it? What use would there be in trying to battle against destiny? His fate had obviously been decided for him long ago. Jaune Arc would play at being a good little martyr for the scheme that the Memory had laid out.

And Violet… his sister. If she ever woke she would alone and lost in the world, terrified and abandoned by all those she loved. Could he really do that to her? He'd rejected Nihilus' ideal of burning the world down just for family, only to instead choose to burn down a club for family. How much further was he willing to go? How many more steps would he take for a family that didn't even exist anymore?

Well…

If by his death, he could make the world a safer place for his sister? If he could prevent tragedy like this from ever befalling her again? He'd rejected his Nihilus' ideals then, saying that the world was more important than just one family. But now… now he didn't. To hell with the world, Jaune wouldn't die for them.

He'd die for Violet.

And he'd set the world on fire just to make her safe.

* * *

 **Dorme, many years ago...**

 **Two years, eleven months and one week after the Fall of Amity.**

They were dead.

 _Hungry._

It was his fault.

 _Hungry._

He promised to protect them.

 _Hungry._

He failed.

Jaune's hands shook, the despair and utter world-consuming fury pouring through his mind like molten magma. Their souls, one pure white and another a rich purple… John and Violet Arc were dead.

Because he'd failed to protect them.

Three years of self-control and training to master his semblance burnt away in an instant; all at once, he felt the disembodied souls of his father and sister added to his… collection. Eight-hundred and ninety-five souls, eight-hundred and ninety-five _auras_ shot through Jaune like lightning. Terrible power he'd once hoped never to use again.

This was the abhorrent strength that forced the once-majestic Amity Colosseum to the ground, the might that was 'gifted' to him by all those that he'd either killed or failed to protect.

Aura boosted the strength, endurance and speed of anyone beyond human levels; that's what made hunters and huntresses so powerful. But a hundred auras, or rather eight-hundred? Jaune was a veritable _god_.

Nothing could quite describe the white-hot _fury_ that clouded Jaune's mind. Everything washed away: love, happiness, loneliness, anger, hate… it was all gone. Instead there was a _need_ , something so profound in its nature and its simplicity that it, for that single moment, became an absolute.

The Gleam Eyes needed to _die_.

The beast roared as fire licked at the back of its throat, ready to kill at a moment's notice.

Jaune roared back.

All at once, it felt as though something around him broke - like something was being torn away violently and Jaune could only watch it happen. The Grimm he was blind to, the whole world even, became clear to him. Not as though his eyes worked, but rather he simply _knew_ what was before him.

It was like everything was under a magnifying glass, as though his usual aura vision was being amplified beyond what he was normally capable of. The clarity was startling, but not enough to deter Jaune from his path. Right now everything else was irrelevant, all that mattered was making the Grimm _die._

Cursed fire washed over Jaune like a river and bathed him in an inferno.

The fire meant _nothing_ to him right now, it barely tickled. So Jaune snarled and _punched_.

The Gleam Eyes' head exploded in a shower of gore, the wretched fire stopping immediately as the single attack reduced the Grimm's head to a fine red mist.

The strength and power of eight-hundred and ninety-five souls rippled through Jaune's body, his hatred for the Grimm before him swelling to new and far more terrible heights as his body shuddered under the immense pressure.

A few short moments later the Gleam Eyes was whole again, a bestial roar tearing through the air as it slashed towards Jaune with its razor sharp fingernails.

But right now? The Gleam Eyes was _nothing_ to Jaune.

Jaune _grabbed_ and _pulled_.

The arm was ripped from the beast with a shower of red.

* * *

 **Dorme, many years ago...**

 **Two years, eleven months and one week after the Fall of Amity.**

Ruby could only stare in mute shock.

Jaune had… obviously gotten stronger.

Beside her even Yang, for all her bluster and hatred, was equally as stunned as Ruby. Before his fall Jaune had never exactly been _weak_ per se, but he wasn't exactly as strong as they were. His real power had always been in the abstract - creative strategy and spamming Dust attacks that were difficult to deal with in conventional melee.

But as she watched Jaune _tear_ the Gleam Eyes' arm off, Ruby knew things had changed.

What had he done? The book - the one she had, well, stolen, from his parent's bedroom spoke about change, but this? This was insane. Jaune was doing a better job fighting the Gleam Eyes than the army did, and he was alone! No friends, no allies, no backup…

And he was _winning_.

Something tugged at her aura.

"Ruby!" Yang gasped from beside her as she broke from her stupor, "He's activated his semblance, we- we need to kill him before he can drain us!"

Kill him? That was the plan, that had _always_ been the plan. But…

Jaune kicked the Gleam-Eyes in the chest, the beast's core practically _exploding_ from the single blow.

...but this wasn't a fight they could win right now. Even ignoring her newfound doubts, Ruby was certain that attacking Jaune right now would be a terrible idea - a single _tap_ from him at that strength would turn Ruby and Yang into messy red _smears_.

"No," Ruby breathed as she took a step backwards. "We need to get out of here. Call Blake and see if she and Weiss made it out."

"What?!" Yang rounded on her, red eyes blazing with anger and surprise. "We can't just leave him! This is our chance, Ruby! We can get revenge for-"

"If we attack him now we'll die!" Ruby shouted, urgency colouring her voice. "If we die here, it'll mean nothing! We're leaving, that's an _order!_ "

Colour drained from Yang's face as Ruby, perhaps for the first time ever, truly used her position as leader. But Ruby didn't care, this was not the time for Yang's anger to get the better of her. Ruby loved her sister, but she loved her more _alive_. " _Now_!" Ruby barked.

"R-Right…"

That was enough the kick the older girl into action, her red eyes tearing away from the horrific sight of Jaune destroying the Grimm. The first few steps were awkward and jerky, but soon enough Ruby and Yang were running in the opposite direction of the epic battle behind them. It would be easy to escape in the forest surrounding what was left of the town - all they'd have to do was avoid any lesser Grimm and then meet up with any other survivors.

"Come on Blake," Yang cursed as she hammered at her scroll mid-sprint. "Don't you dare be dead. Come on!"

Maybe Blake wasn't answering because she was…? No, Ruby didn't want to even think about it. Blake and Weiss had promised, _sworn_ that they wouldn't go and _die_ while Ruby and Yang searched the Arc house. Ruby couldn't bear to lose more people in her life, not after her father, her uncle… and now Jaune too. The realisation that he was a victim too… no. She couldn't lose anything else. Her heart couldn't handle it.

They broke into the woods easily, but still the scroll didn't connect. The dial tone just kept repeating. "I'll try calling Weiss," Ruby half-shouted at Yang as the older girl became more and more distressed.

"Please Weiss, please answer…" Ruby whispered to herself. "Please…"

The call connected.

Blake's face filled the screen, her image distorted and fractured by a spiderweb of cracks running through the projection. "Ruby!" she cried, her face smudged with dirt and blood. "Thank God you're okay, where are you? Please tell me you're not still in the town!"

Why did Blake answer? Ruby called Weiss' scroll, so why…? Unless- no. It couldn't be true. "We're in the woods, where's Weiss? Why did you-"

Blake cut her off. "I must have dropped my scroll during the battle, but that doesn't matter! Weiss is hurt badly, she took a hit from the Gleam Eyes. We need to get her out, Ruby, or she's going to die!"

No, no, no, that wouldn't happen. Ruby wouldn't let it.

"We're coming!" Ruby cried, "Just don't die, you hear me?!"

Ruby couldn't lose anyone else. She just couldn't, because if she did then she may just _break_.

And she was afraid she would never recover from it.

* * *

 **Dorme, many years ago...**

 **Two years, eleven months and one week after the Fall of Amity.**

As he sat upon the broken remains of one of the settlement's taller buildings and watched the fight, Tyrian could admit that he was surprised.

And perhaps a little aroused.

But mostly surprised.

To see someone single-handedly fight one of the mightiest creations of his Queen? That was _exquisite_. He could practically _taste_ the anguish and hatred rolling off the boy, the purest outpouring of negative emotion… it was _divine_.

Tyrian practically writhed in pleasure at the thought of fighting the little Arc boy, the one his Goddess was fixated upon. Never would he doubt his Queen's majesty, but to send him out here to test this _child_? And the notion that this _boy_ could one day stand equal to her magnificence? Heresy, blasphemy, insanity!

No, no, no. Tyrian had gone to special effort for this one! He'd arranged for the deaths of his sisters, for the destruction of his entire home! Tyrian would suck the marrow from his own _bones_ before he allowed this wretch to defile his Goddess with his mere presence!

His _soul_ hurt.

Laughter bubbled from Tyrian's lips, his shoulders and chest heaving with deep amusement as he felt the disgusting worm's semblance wash over him. Anyone else it may have killed, but not he! Oh no, he was _above_ that. His Goddess Salem had given him the greatest of gifts when he first entered her service. No longer was he a mere faunus - he was _better_ now. Deep within Tyrian was the gift of the Grimm.

Some might call it a parasite, an infection or a cancer. But that wasn't true!

It was many things, but right now it was his _shield_.

Grimm didn't have souls - they were empty and pure and free from such petty weaknesses. Tyrian, unfortunately, was _not_. But for now that wouldn't be a problem, the gift of his Queen was more than enough to shield him from the wretched and disgusting influence of the _maggot_ called Jaune Arc.

Actually… wouldn't that be fun? The boy looked as though he had well and truly won the battle with the Gleam Eyes - all he had to do was find a way to permanently kill it. But Tyrian didn't like the idea of just _letting_ the worm win. Oh no, now was an excellent time to join the battle!

Tyrian couldn't wait to watch the boy's face twist in anguish and torment when he told him about his sisters. About the ones he _slaughtered_ when they believed themselves to be safe, the way his sisters cowered in fear and terror when they realised that their deaths were upon them…

It was _intoxicating_.

Tyrian wanted _more_.

And he knew just where to go to get some.

* * *

 **Dorme, many years ago...**

 **Two years, eleven months and one week after the Fall of Amity.**

The wretched thing just wouldn't _die_.

It didn't matter how many times he killed it, or how exactly he did it, the Grimm just wouldn't stay down. Remove the head, crush its chest… it didn't matter. It just kept getting back up again.

It didn't matter that he was effectively invulnerable for now; if the Gleam Eyes managed to outlast him, then it was all over. If the Grimm forced him to burn through all the souls he had stored up, then he was dead. So he had to kill it _now,_ lest he lose the chance to avenge his father and sister.

The Gleam Eyes roared as it once again healed from unthinkably terrible injuries, its massive form looming over Jaune monstrously as it once again prepared to attack.

Hatred welled up within Jaune; this was the beast that had taken his family away from him, the monster that had robbed him of the one reason Jaune had to keep going in life. He wanted it to _suffer_ as it died, he wanted it to feel the same red hot _burn_ of failure that drenched his soul.

"Die!" Jaune screamed as he leapt at his enemy, the beast staggering back as the Arc male _tore_ into its chest.

Ripping aside bone, muscle and sinew was disgustingly easy as Jaune forced his way into its chest cavity. Attacking it from the outside was easy, but didn't offer the painful death that Jaune wanted for the beast. From the inside however… he would make it _burn_.

He didn't have much Dust - almost none, actually. No gravity Dust and only two fire Dust crystals. That would hardly be enough to burn past the skin of the monster, but from the inside? That was doable - Jaune could make that fire burn away _everything_ below the skin level.

He would make it _suffer_ as it died.

Jaune _flexed_.

His arms, already tightly wound around the still-beating heart of the Gleam Eyes, bulged monstrously with muscles enhanced beyond what was humanly possible. The Grimm roared in agony, but that didn't matter - that just made him dig his fingers into the pulsing organ in his hands, the black heart shuddering and bleeding profusely as Jaune gripped it.

Now he would make it _burn_. Now he would-

Something hit his back.

"Getting to the heart of things, hmm?!" a voice giggled as two razor sharp blades ground against his aura. "My Queen will not suffer this! I'll kill you!"

Heart of things? Queen? Irrelevant, and only a distraction from his current task. Jaune snarled and jerked his right elbow backwards to knock the fool off of him. The blow wasn't hard enough to break the idiot, but it was enough to send the blue aura of the man flying backwards and crashing into the ground.

Free from the distraction, Jaune gathered all his hatred for the beast that killed his father and sister, all the rage and all the sorrow.

And he _clicked_.

Jaune, being mostly _inside_ the beast, felt the heat wash over him like a tidal wave as two entire crystals of fire Dust expended all their respective energies at once. It was like sitting in a furnace, one fuelled by his own hatred and rage, something of his own creation. And despite its malicious nature, Jaune was unscathed.

The same could not be said of the Gleam Eyes.

The beast roasted from the inside out, fire pouring from its eyes and mouth as everything below the skin burnt away within an instant. The sound of its agonised screeching was almost musical to Jaune's ears as he jumped away. The utter torment, the anguish…

That wasn't even _close_ to the pain he was feeling.

But as the ashen remains of the beast fell to the ground, Jaune felt as though it was close enough. The Gleam Eyes was dead.

"You- you monster!"

Jaune's blind gaze fell upon the blue soul of the man he'd thrown away earlier. Something was _wrong_ with him, his soul utterly malformed in some manner - like a perversion of nature. "Leave this place," Jaune snarled. "I don't know how you've managed to survive my semblance, but don't test your luck further. Go now."

He still had to find his other sisters, the rest of his family… they were likely in Vale by now. He… he could control himself enough to guide them out of the city, to move to a place where he could watch over them personally without the fear of the authorities trying to hunt him down.

"I will not!" the man spat, "I was sent here by my Queen to kill you! To exterminate everything about you!" his soul twisted with malice, and Jaune felt his eyes widen as he peered at the stains upon his soul. Were those…? "Already I made your pathetic siblings choke in pools of their own blood, and the Grimm did as I asked of it by destroying much of this cesspool. Now all that's left is you!"

The man's soul was so terribly stained, but six of those colours… they were… no. No, no, no, not now. Not when he'd lost Dad and Violet already to his own weakness. _Don't leave me alone._

"What's wrong, boy?" the man laughed, "Did I hurt your feelings?"

Jaune was going to kill him.

 _Slowly_.

* * *

633

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Isn't the taste of failure exquisite? I'm sure Jaune will come to think so, eventually…**

 **As a side note about Weiss' reaction to learning Blake is a faunus: Remember that in canon she finds out that Blake is a faunus, a former white fang member, and a white fang sympathiser all in one hit - and this was already after having spent a couple hours furiously arguing with Blake. Weiss was** _ **already**_ **angry, she was already feeling hurt and betrayed.**

 **All Nihilus told Weiss was that Blake is a faunus. Nothing about the White Fang, and nothing about her past. It will come up later, and things will be said. But for now it's pretty much on the same level as saying Blake likes chocolate. It might be new information, but what would it change? Nothing important.**

 **Anyway, onto the reviews:**

 **Follower:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Heh, I guess that's on me. And thanks, I appreciate you saying that.**

 **ZHsteven:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Yup, Weiss is now Nihilus-proof... mostly. Super painless process obviously, only a tiny little bit of horrible mental and emotional pain is required - and hey, she gets more out of the deal than just general immunity to Nihilus. But for that you'll just have to wait…**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **It's not that Ruby's angry exactly, but rather she's had a worldview shit on once again. When the Vytal festival ended in flames thanks to Jaune she (in her very black and white way of looking at things) came to believe that Jaune must be evil - either in the sense that he always was, or that he was simply never her friend to begin with. To Ruby, there wouldn't have been any guilt that Jaune felt - because evil people don't feel that of course. Remember that Noir!Ruby, and all of Vale (with a minor exception for Pyrrha) doesn't know what actually happened during the festival - all she, and Vale, knows is that the man that stopped the Breach has gone on a gleeful killing rampage and murdered literally everyone in Amity. All the while coincidentally Vale is attacked by the White Fang, Grimm, and reprogramed Atlas mechs. Jaune looked pretty suspect with all that...**

 **So really Ruby didn't know. No one did.**

 **But then she finds the book - which expressly states Jaune's feelings of guilt and remorse over his failures, saying how his semblance is a curse that he wished never found him. This gives the game away - Jaune isn't, nor has ever been 'evil'. Ruby effectively wasted the last three years of her life hating something that didn't technically exist. But knowing this changes only one thing: instead of being deceived by a bad guy, Ruby lost a friend. A friend who now she knows she's obligated to either kill or otherwise facilitate his death.**

 **DuManHeiu:**

 **Thanks for reviewing:**

 **That would be because I never outright said what his plan was - I hinted at it a lot, but never really explained it. However, I will explain it now.**

 **Nihilus has technically already succeeded in his original goal - he made Ironwood (the one from his universe) suffer through watching everything he loved be utterly destroyed, he made Ironwood suffer through watching Nihilus commit insanely immoral things just for shits and giggles. However, for Nihilus this wasn't enough. Nihilus didn't just want the Ironwood of his world to suffer, he wanted them ALL to suffer. Every Ironwood across the multiverse was going to die or live through terrible anguish because Nihilus felt it was justified.**

 **Such was the plan anyway.**

 **The Memory, part of who Nihilus used to be, schemed to stop this. Gathering souls of alternate Jaune's from six other universes, the Memory plans to use the current Jaune (the one from this world) to prove that Nihilus' nihilism is false, and that revenge isn't necessary. Happiness is the weapon against Nihilus - the Memory engineered the current Jaune's situation to be one of profound misery and anguish, but when the final stage is implemented Nihilus will look into the soul of Jaune expecting misery and instead be faced with joy and happiness. Effectively proving Nihilus' current ideals to be false.**

 **The reason Nihilus stopped his crusade to kill Ironwood - all of them - is because Jaune has, unknowingly, shown himself to be the exact opposite of Nihilus himself. And yet he has also proven himself to be a massive hypocrite. The only reason Nihilus isn't on a killing spree is because he wants to understand what drives Jaune, and thanks to this latest chapter, what makes Weiss special. If he works it out there is a fair chance he may just go back to killing Ironwoods across the multiverse.**

* * *

 **Anyway, leave a review.**


	44. A Farewell to Arms

Wraith

Chapter Forty Four

Beta: Smithrooks

A Farewell to Arms

 **Dorme, many years ago...**

 **Two years, eleven months and one week after the Fall of Amity.**

Jaune _slapped_ Tyrian into what was left of Dorme.

He had to be careful, unbelievably so, just to avoid turning the insane faunus into a red smear from the single blow. The strength of hundreds of souls fuelled him beyond what should be humanly possible, beyond what even the greatest of hunters and huntresses could ever physically hope to achieve.

But Jaune… Jaune was in control.

"I'll kill you!" Jaune growled furiously as he chased the dead man into what remained of Dorme.

Even in his rage-fuelled haze, Jaune felt a twinge of horror as he entered the ruinous remains of his childhood home; more than half the buildings were simply _gone_ , and those that remained… most weren't long for the world. The unreal fires caused by the Gleam Eyes' breath attacks had spread and grown into a raging inferno. This… this was the death of Dorme.

"Oh?" Tyrian cackled as Jaune drew near, his aura riddled with _sickening_ dark cracks. "Did I make you mad? I didn't get under your skin somehow, did I?"

Jaune's heart throbbed painfully, a pulse of rage running alongside his anguish. "You did all this." Everything he'd ever known or loved… it was all burning away. His family, his home… for what? Some sick desire this fool had? "You've ruined everything! My entire life, my entire family!"

Tyrian laughed madly, his aura twisting in a grotesque visage of joy. "Me? I helped, but it was all for my Queen, my Goddess, my-"

Jaune crossed the distance and clamped his hand down on Tyrian's throat in an instant.

"First I'll kill you," Jaune spat in the man's face, ignoring his flailing attempts to escape Jaune's iron grip. "Then I'm going to find anyone that _you_ love, someone you want to protect… and I'll kill them. Your family, your friends, it doesn't matter."

Tyrian's struggles grew more frantic as he began to suffocate.

Jaune tightened his grip.

"And when I'm done with you," Jaune whispered, his voice still audible despite the growing inferno around them. "I'll find this Queen of yours. And just as you have done to me, I will rip out her heart and lay it at her feet."

With a gasp for equal parts air and smoke Tyrian kicked off of Jaune's chest, the faunus man scrambling to his feet as Jaune reached deep into his soul.

"Defiler!" Tyrian coughed, the tainted air around them clouding his lungs. "I won't let you! I won't let you taint her presence!"

Jaune didn't say anything.

Years… years spent hiding in that dark little hole had taught him many things, things everyone would consider impossible… but Jaune had only ever used this gift to help. This power was one of manipulation by its very nature, but he'd always used it to create joy, hope, happiness…

Jaune twisted Tyrian's soul until despair was all the dead man could feel.

He'd used this to help countless people across the world, to save as many lives as he could in such an indirect manner… but now Jaune was perfectly happy to use this power for destruction.

Tyrian began to wail, soul-crushing anguish flooding through his mind.

"I hope it hurts," Jaune whispered, his hand lashing out and slapping Tyrian into a nearby building.

It was on fire - everything was, really - and Jaune didn't want his opponent to die quite yet.

The moment Tyrian crashed through the wall Jaune was there, his speed boosted wildly by the unreal amount of aura flowing through him. Gently, ever so gently, Jaune swung his fist down upon the insane man - instantly slamming him into the ground with all the force of a semi-truck crashing into his face.

"You-!" Tyrian hacked and coughed, the smoke of the burning building clawing at his lungs. "I will-"

Jaune didn't let him finish.

With a jerk, Jaune grabbed the fool by his hair and forced his face down in the nearest patch of fire.

The scream that escaped Tyrian's mouth seemed altogether inhuman, a terrible wail so unnatural and _agonised_ that even for the briefest of moments Jaune felt a tiny stab of pity.

Only for a moment.

Another wall _shattered_ as Jaune threw Tyrian back into the ashen street, the damaged man landing with a vague _crunch_ sound as his charred body collided with the hard cobblestones.

Jaune was upon him a moment later, his legs straddling the hips of the dying faunus as his hands clutched the burnt remains of Tyrian's face. "Does it hurt?!" Jaune demanded as he forced his thumbs into the other man's eyes. "Come on, scream for me!"

Tyrian's wails were like music.

Jaune had to be careful though; it would be so easy to just crush Tyrian's skull right now and be done with it, but _control_ was needed to draw out his agony. Holding back the ocean of aura was practically impossible to do selectively, it was either all or nothing.

So Jaune chose nothing.

 _Hungry_.

Just his strength, the might of the _last_ of his family to kill the one that had so destroyed them. The hundreds of others within him were watching, but they did not interfere. Jaune would not permit it.

He would kill Tyrian using his own strength.

"How does it feel?" Jaune demanded as his muscles strained to crush bone beneath him, his thumbs deep in Tyrian's eye sockets. "How does it feel knowing that no matter how hard you tried, you've _failed_? That for all your strength and skill you'll die forgotten and alone!"

 _Hungry._

Tyrian flailed and screamed as Jaune forced his thumbs deep into his skull, no coherent sound escaping the mangled man's mouth as he wailed in untold agony beyond anything Jaune could comprehend.

Bone grinded together as Jaune applied more pressure. "Nothing to say?!" Something cracked. "Don't tell me you've-"

Jaune gasped as something stabbed deeply into the back of his leg, red hot agony pouring into his blood.

"I haven't failed," Tyrian laughed weakly as his struggles slowed. "I-"

 _All of it._

Hundreds of souls ran through him in a second, and for that instant Jaune flexed. His hands ground against the charred remains of Tyrian's face, then-

Tyrian's skull _shattered_.

Jaune slumped to the ground, barely taking note of the poisonous stinger lodged deeply into his leg.

How had things gone so wrong? Beacon seemed so distant now… like a half-remembered dream from a long time ago. He had planned to be a hero, to save people and live up to the Arc family name of being a hunter. How had things come to this?

A mirthless chuckle slipped out of Jaune's lips. His entire family was gone, wiped out by his own failure to live up to the life he'd dreamed of. He'd never been a hunter - never been anything close to one. Never the saviour, never the hero… was this the fate of those that tried? The irony was almost unbearable. To be a hero, to save those that couldn't save themselves… this is where it lead him. This is the hell that waited for beasts such as he.

It was almost funny, in a rather twisted way.

No effort was made to escape the fire. No effort was made to do something about the poisonous stinger lodged in his leg. Jaune just laid still, a small smile never once leaving his face as he waited for death to claim him.

He didn't even notice he was crying as he laughed.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

"Weiss? Did you hear about Jaune?" Ruby asked, a stricken look crossing her face. _"Jaune's escaped!"_

Weiss did her best to ignore her team, or rather she did he best to ignore the voices of the team that isn't, but is her's.

The RWBY from Nihilus' time.

"Yes," Weiss muttered, not bothering to let her attention stray from her scroll. "His father just died. Jaune is understandably distressed."

She said that… but really there was no comprehension behind the words. If _her_ father died Weiss would be delighted - not that she could show that publicly of course, but that didn't change the way she felt. Weiss had no such parental figure she could lose to cause such emotional devastation, and now apparently neither did Jaune.

Did that make her sound callous?

"And that doesn't bother you?" Yang questioned, "You and he have been total besties since he got back to Beacon."

" _He deserved what we did to him. I hope that bastard is suffering in some deep hole somewhere."_

Weiss shivered.

The dormitory wasn't cold per se, but something about the way the voices of the alternate RWBY spoke… Yang in particular sounded like a wounded animal, something driven by hatred and fear above all else.

It was honestly quite distressing.

It made her _feel_ cold.

" _You know…"_ The insidious voice of Jaune - _Nihilus_ \- whispered into her ear, _"I don't think it counts as friendship if you're just using him for a modicum of silence."_

He wasn't wrong.

That… stupid man. There were many other adjectives Weiss felt she should probably use to describe the elder version of Jaune, though she couldn't bring herself to think anything too harsh. Even having heard the terrible things the alternate RWBY had said about Jaune, Weiss couldn't quite bring it upon herself to hate him. Looking at the ghostly and ruined form of the man… he was a villain for sure, but even she could see that he was just as much a victim.

Perhaps a victim of circumstance, or perhaps a victim of RWBY. The distinction didn't matter much.

"I have already sent a message to Jaune's scroll offering him my condolences," Weiss lied easily. She hadn't of course, there simply wasn't any point - what empty words of pity could she offer someone like Jaune?

Ruby rolled her eyes, glaring at Weiss from across the room. "Weiss! You can't just _text_ someone when they lose a loved one! You have to see them in person and be nice to them!"

" _Weiss, how…? How is this possible? What did Jaune do to you?"_

Weiss studiously ignored the second voice of Ruby.

But what point was there in offering her condolences to Jaune? Ruby, Yang and Blake were intelligent in their own ways, but they didn't understand _people_ like Weiss did. She'd spent her entire life learning how to read and analyse the intentions of those around her; admittedly it was entirely for business purposes, but the point was the same.

Where they saw Jaune as sad and distant, Weiss knew he was just… less.

It was like a part of him was missing. Saying he was _broken_ was misleading, since that implied he was still all there when he simply wasn't. What good was kindness to someone like him? He didn't understand empathy, nor did he care for pity. Whatever empty platitudes Ruby would have her say to Jaune would fall on deaf ears.

Whoever Jaune Arc was before he'd met Nihilus was gone, left behind was the boy they now knew. He was just… hollow. "Why don't we go get some training in?" Weiss blatantly shifted the focus of the conversation, "we haven't done that in a while."

"Are you feeling well enough? You've been sickly lately," Blake commented, _"Weiss… are you sure it was him? How could he…?"_

Weiss shivered as something cold settled around her shoulders, ghostly limbs draping around her neck as Nihilus' unseen form _cradled_ her. _"I can see how that eats at you, how the words tear away at your mind. Tell me, little Schnee… would you like me to change that? I could show you the true meaning of silence."_

Weiss stilled.

Silence? Was he truly offering… silence? Surely it couldn't be as easy as that. After all the nightmares and all the anguish, Nihilus was just offering to end it? Just like that, as though it didn't matter? A trap of some kind perhaps, or maybe he was simply lying.

" _Think about it, to be free from the pestering voices of the dead… to go back to what you were. True silence."_

No, it was too good to pass up. A chance to end the wretched feelings and voices that were clawing away at her spirit. She _had_ to agree to this. There… there was no telling if she would ever find another way to free herself. It could be years, decades even, before she worked out her own solution. Nihilus had _already_ done that - who even knew how old he was now? For all Weiss knew, Nihilus could've had up to a century to master aura. And if he was offering to lend his mastery…

It was a deal she had to take.

"Weiss?" Blake questioned when she got no response, "Are you-"

" _Your silence is answer enough."_

Weiss gasped.

The icy feeling of Nihilus hanging off her shoulders vanished in an instant.

There was no great change, no profound alteration or character-defining moment or shift.

Just… cold.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

Nihilus couldn't help but laugh at the sight of his latest cruelty.

She hadn't even realised what he'd done! This 'kindness' he had bestowed had done exactly as he'd promised; she would indeed no longer be beset by the voices of those that were dead and gone.

Indeed, even now the little girl's heart soared with success and victory, the cruel whispers of the _real_ team RWBY no longer grinding away at the forefront of her mind. However, whatever joy she was feeling was false - Nihilus took great delight in that. He hadn't _solved_ the problem, he'd just… changed it.

There was nothing he could ever do to rid Weiss of the vestiges of her counterpart's soul, not without shredding all of it and trying to piece it together by memory alone. A process that is certain to fail. However, what Nihilus had done was far more… _cruel_.

The voices were still there, buried deeply into her subconscious mind. What he'd done was make a _trade_. One cancer for another, one _poison_ for another. Where before her disease was one of the mind and memory, now it was of the _body_.

Nihilus watched gleefully as Weiss shivered, her thin form shaking from a chill that simply didn't exist.

Oh yes, it was cruelty alright - but it was cruelty born of _empathy_.

A gift from him to her. Something Weiss - his Weiss - never experienced.

True silence.

How long had he sat in that cold, dark hole? How many years did he go without speaking, how many times did Ruby call and pour thinly-veiled guilt out of her heart onto him as a captive audience? It was so long ago now. But _that_ was the meaning of silence _._ To sit still and not utter a sound to the world that had betrayed him so profoundly and utterly.

And the _cold_ , Gods he remembered the cold.

To sit in the dark and know that _everything_ he'd ever loved was _gone_. To spend _years_ in utter _silence,_ just wallowing in the misery of his profound failure. That was the gift he'd granted to little Weiss. No words, no warmth or kindness or comfort. Just… cold.

 _That_ was his gift to Weiss.

She would still function of course… it wouldn't be fun otherwise. She may even benefit from the shift in some aspects - nothing terribly impressive though. Her suffering would be of the subtle and drawn-out nature. What was tragedy without knowing joy? What was sorrow without happiness to put it into perspective? The true cruelty behind the act was giving Weiss the taste of hope, to let her think that she had found some salvation from the curse of her counterpart's soul - then dashing that hope.

He knew that pain quite well.

And so Nihilus watched, visible as he may be to the wretched little Schnee girl, as team RWBY, the _fakers_ , entered one of Beacon's many combat arenas. Already the stirrings of hope and joy were taking root in Weiss' soul, elated as she was to be able to talk to her petty little friends without the whispers of the dead hounding her.

"Are you sure you're up for this Weiss?" the _child_ asked Weiss. Pathetic little creature, wretched and a _fake_.

" _You won't take her pity, will you?"_ Nihilus purred dangerously as he _oozed_ around the form of Ruby. _"To be looked down upon by a little girl, one who never had to fight or suffer for her achievements."_

And it was true. Ruby - _this_ Ruby - never struggled for what she had obtained. Everything she was, everything she had, was simply _given_ to her. Because she was talented, because she had the right family, because of so many little reasons. _His_ Ruby came to know the world before she passed. She understood anguish on a level that was punishment enough to absolve her of the crimes she committed against him.

"I'm fine Ruby," Weiss' eyes strayed to Nihilus for the briefest moment. "In fact, why don't we have some practice fights? You and I can fight, then Yang and Blake can."

Ah, there was her insignificant little pride. Worthless and ultimately useless, but if that was the path she chose than Nihilus could hardly blame Weiss. He'd done far worse for far less.

And besides - Weiss _understood_. While she was nothing compared to him, she understood the greatest form of anguish. Unlike the petty wretches Yang and Ruby, Weiss had to claw and _fight_ her way to where she was now. Because the things she was talented in… was not what she wanted to spend her life doing. That was the greatest measure of character, if determination was strong enough to power through predestination.

Not that he'd ever tell her that.

" _Fight,"_ Nihilus whispered as he drifted past his latest play-thing. _"She doesn't think you're strong enough, she thinks you are an entitled little girl."_

Weiss grit her teeth.

"Well," Ruby agreed as Yang and Blake stepped out of the ring, "if you're sure."

Weiss held her rapier aloft in her left hand, her eyes pointedly not looking in Nihilus' direction.

How rude.

" _Come on Weiss,"_ Nihilus purred as the aura meters above their head flickered to life. _"I know you want to prove her wrong. I know you want to prove them_ all _wrong."_

He didn't actually - not technically anyway. _This_ Weiss had that annoying mental block that stopped him from pulling her mind to pieces just to satisfy his curiosity, but her original counterpart never did. So he was admittedly basing his information on a rather out-of-date source; but they were technically the same person, so how different could it be?

Weiss' fist slammed into Ruby's face.

Nihilus smirked happily. They were _definitely_ the same person.

The surprised look on Weiss' face was mirrored by the look on Ruby's - evidently the pale shade of a girl hadn't yet realised what exactly was happening. But she didn't need to - fighting was not action based upon thought. It was all in the moment, in the action and the reaction. Ruby had _acted_ by charging Weiss with her scythe, and Weiss had _reacted_ by stepping to the side and allowing Ruby to clothesline herself over Weiss' fist.

Weiss didn't think, she didn't pause and ponder what she could have done in the face of Ruby's attack - such was the sign of an amateur fighter. She reacted without hesitation, exactly as anyone would have expected. She acted as Weiss would - _Weiss_ , not whatever she was now.

But that was just it - that response was something _his_ Weiss would have done. It was an attack that cost herself nothing and cost the enemy everything, something a fighter with an extremely small aura pool would favour. It wasn't thought or tactical thinking, but rather instinct born from an adult life spent at a horrible disadvantage.

But that was his gift to little Weiss: no words, and the instincts of someone far more skilled to guide her. And what better mentor was there than oneself?

Weiss was learning from Weiss.

Ruby grunted as she brought herself to bear once again, redness spreading across her face from the impact of Weiss' fist. She wasn't hurt, but Nihilus could taste the distinct… surprise flavouring her soul. Physical attacks from Weiss was not something the Schnee girl learnt until after his time at Beacon - after _now_ , so the change in fighting style was probably quite jarring.

" _Go on,"_ Nihilus whispered silently into the deepest depths of Ruby's narrow little mind, _"attack her, you know you don't want to be beaten. Think of the humiliation, the little girl beaten once again… the child who doesn't deserve her place in Beacon."_

She couldn't hear him of course, not on a conscious level anyway. But the words weren't meant to be heard, they were meant to be _felt_. Ruby was dull and uninteresting, the empty words didn't create anything new; it was meant to coax her into giving Weiss more of a challenge. See just how Ruby compared to the might of a fully-trained huntress. Sort of.

Weiss glared at him from across the arena. She could still hear him.

He smiled back.

The sound of Crescent Rose firing in rapid succession was like the crack of a whip; the shots sped towards Weiss sharply with Ruby herself only moments behind, scythe ready to hack away at the older girl's aura.

But Weiss was _better_ than that now.

Bullets deftly deflected with only a moment of attention, Weiss tapped Myrtenaster upon the ground three times gently. A thin sheen of ice spread across the floor before the Schnee, the frozen liquid springing to life from the power of Dust and aura.

Once again momentum proved to be Ruby's downfall, her boots suddenly unable to find traction upon the slippery cold surface of the floor. It wasn't enough to take her off her feet, and Ruby was able to just barely stop her charge attack - but that was what Weiss wanted.

Once, twice, three times Weiss slashed her sword at Ruby with lightning speed and skill, each blow knocking terrible chunks off the child's aura. It was almost artful, if in a rather brutish way. Each attack picturesque and savage all at once, each with the ability to maim and yet choosing not to. Something Weiss, _both_ of them, would have done.

Nihilus grinned in delight as Weiss moved the tip of Myrtenaster to tickle the underside of Ruby's chin. The fight was over.

"Y-you beat me," Ruby muttered in utter shock at her crushing defeat. "Your aura is still at a hundred percent! How? How did I lose this badly?"

Weiss shivered.

Nihilus laughed.

Ice blue eyes settled onto his unseen form. "Perhaps," The heiress hedged, "I have simply come to know myself better lately."

Nihilus laughed harder as he followed the two girls off the arena. Her? _Know?_ A rich thought. But not enough. Never enough. But if it helped the vermin sleep at night…

"Still can't believe I lost though…"

Indeed, Nihilus could feel _her_. If Ruby thought this was a loss, then she was in for a steep surprise when Cinder finally made her move.

* * *

 **Beacon, present day…**

He'd chosen not to have a funeral.

"Jaune, you know you can always speak to us, right?"

Ren was kind - perhaps even too kind. It certainly wasn't pity the other boy was showing Jaune, nor was it empathy. An understanding perhaps, a shared experience even. Or the perception of such.

A shared experience… an impossibility. Ren was quiet and withdrawn, but he still had a distinct _life_ about him that Jaune knew that he himself simply lacked. With the death of his family... Jaune was less than human, less than the lowest scum. He was just… nothing. A tool perhaps, or maybe simply just a weapon.

It didn't matter.

They'd been shocked when Jaune informed the doctors at the hospital to just burn the body of John Arc. No funeral, no ceremony and no nothing. Ren and the girls had told him that perhaps it was best to wait… but no. John Arc wouldn't have cared a whit what happened to his body after he died; if anything, the man would probably take some satisfaction that he simply wasn't devoured by some random Grimm.

"You guys go on ahead to our room," Jaune informed his team quietly. "I think I want to be alone for a little while."

" _And do what, Betrayer?"_ Nihilus' voice whispered in his ear, despite the lack of the man himself. _"Cry for lost time? For things unchangeable and immutable?"_

"Are you sure, Jaune?" Pyrrha questioned as they disembarked from the airship. "We're all ready to be here for you."

Be here for him…? No, what was the point? He was an empty hollow shell, something devoid of whatever it was that made someone truly human. "I'm sure. I'll meet up with you guys soon."

No… he wouldn't.

"Okay, Jaune," Ren gripped his shoulder in a vaguely comforting manner. "We'll see you soon."

A comforting lie was kinder than a cruel truth, even if it wasn't what they wanted. Let them believe that he'd come back, let them think they were doing a service to their friend by giving him a moment alone to grieve.

The three of them gave Jaune tentative smiles, their eyes warm and caring in a way that was almost calming.

It just made him feel guilty.

Jaune silently watched them go, his eyes long since dried from any tears that had fallen and his throat raw from crying. It was for the best. Without a sound, Jaune drew forth his scroll and thumbed his way through the contact list, eyes tracking down the number he needed. It was one all Beacon students were given upon admission.

 _Headmaster Ozpin,_

 _I resign. Thank you for letting me into your school in the first place._

 _Tell my team not to come looking for me._

 _Regards,_

 _Jaune Arc._

Jaune hit send, and then crushed the scroll in his hand. He didn't want to be tracked after all.

With a heavy sigh, Jaune turned back towards Vale. He had a new life to start and a _former_ team to hide from.

"For family," Jaune whispered as he set out.

He was leaving Beacon, perhaps forever…

* * *

 **Dorme, many years ago...**

 **Two years, eleven months and one week after the Fall of Amity.**

Pyrrha was reasonably sure this was a distinctly terrible plan.

So profoundly terrible that it even trumped the usual madness team RWBY referred to as 'strategy'.

Trees rushed through her vision as Pyrrha sprinted madly towards Dorme.

That man… the blonde one that had fought the Gleam Eyes and told her and Blake to run. She _recognised_ him. How could she forget? He gave, frankly, terrible advice. He left her and a maimed android alone in a city swarming with Grimm. He was philosophically one of the worst huntsmen in the world, despite being physically one of the best.

He had saved her best friend.

He carried his son out of Vale when the whole world was against him.

John Arc, father of Jaune Arc.

While it was among the morally shittier things she'd done, Pyrrha had left the maimed - and if she was being honest, mortally wounded - Weiss with Blake just so she could double back and try to find John Arc.

John was her only lead on finding Jaune.

Jaune was… unique. He was something so profoundly _Jaune_ that nothing else could quite describe him. Never before or after had Pyrrha met anyone that acted like Jaune - he was her best, and if she was being honest, only friend. Her team… well, Ren, Nora and Russel had perished along with the many thousands that died in Amity. Her teammates since then… they were people she knew and worked with, not friends.

Jaune… Something had gone _wrong_ at Amity during the Fall. Everyone called him a monster, a beast responsible, or linked to, the White Fang attack and the Grimm in the city. But he wasn't like that - why could no one see that when things started to go wrong, Jaune was in _pain_? That he was struggling against something unseen by all the cameras and onlookers?

But more than that, Pyrrha knew Jaune couldn't be responsible for what happened at Amity because he was a good person.

Jaune was the kind that would carry the entire world on his shoulders, if just so no one would ever cry anymore.

So… she was going to find him.

Because she would never leave her friend behind.

Pyrrha broke the treeline with a start, her eyes immediately starting to water from the excess of smoke and ash clouding the air around her. Dorme… if it could even be called a town anymore, was in utter ruins. What little was left was caught in a raging inferno that was eating away at the predominantly wooden buildings with a fervor Pyrrha shuddered at.

However, the Gleam Eyes was nowhere to be seen, so not everything was a negative here.

"John!" Pyrrha cried as she charged into the ruinous village, a miasma of ash and debris hanging in the air. "Anyone! Answer if you can hear me!"

It was all but a lost cause. Pyrrha was no Ruby - she knew when something was hopeless. Even ignoring that the majority of civilians evacuated before the battle, any that were foolish enough to remain within their homes were surely dead already. No one without the aid of aura could survive this hellscape unassisted.

It would take a hunter to survive.

"Anyone!" Pyrrha cried as she pushed deeper into the blaze, "is there anyone at all!?"

Please, _please_ let John still be here. She needed him, he was her only path to Jaune. The only route she could take to find her friend. He couldn't be missing or dead - he just _couldn't_.

She was walking into hell.

It was so _hot_. Drenched in despair as this place was, it gave the flames an eerie feel to them. The sun was just disappearing and night was beginning to set in, giving Dorme a truly ghastly look as the raging fire tore apart what remained.

Pyrrha paused, the sound of the crackling fire around her briefly at odds with something so completely alien - something distinctly _different_ that it was hard to miss.

Someone was _laughing_.

Pyrrha's gaze snapped towards the chuckles; it wasn't true mirth, even as faint as it was Pyrrha could tell that much. Someone was laughing without humour, it sounded more like a lament than anything else.

"Hello!?" Pyrrha shouted as she sprinted towards the mournful sound. "Is anyone there?!"

Why, _why_ did that sound so familiar? That voice, that laughter…

With a grunt, the champion pushed through the burning wreckage of one of the many buildings, the charred wood barely showing any resistance as she plowed towards her target. Someone was alive, someone familiar at the very least. Perhaps it was one of the hunters that had tried to fight off the Grimm, or perhaps it was someone else. Pyrrha didn't know and frankly, she didn't care. She was going to find them.

Rounding a corner, Pyrrha's eyes shot onto the source of the laugh-

 _Jaune_.

Without even thinking, Pyrrha found herself running to his prone from, the dry and miserable laughs slipping from his lips terribly juxtaposed by the hellish illumination around them and the small tears staining his face.

"Jaune!" she cried as she came to stop beside him.

He just laughed harder.

"Jaune, you-" the words died in her throat as her eyes settled upon the gruesome remains that lay next to her friend.

Whoever the body belonged to… they were well and truly dead. The head was just _gone_ , and there was so much _blood_. Jaune… Jaune was covered in it. Too much to all be his, and yet too little to belong entirely to the body next to him.

"They're dead, Pyrrha," Jaune sobbed and guffawed. "It's my fault, I was meant to be a hero. I promised. You saw, I promised…"

There! Buried deeply in Jaune's leg was a stinger, still attached to the corpse next to him. The area around the wound was already a swollen purple mess, the stinger inself invisible save for the tail. With a harsh yank, Pyrrha ripped the offending appendage free from her old friend, purple poison spilling free as she kicked the dead man - stinger and all - away.

"Jaune," she clutched desperately at his shoulders, "can you hear me? We need to get out of here!"

"Pyrrha?" He questioned hazily, "Pyrrha, is that you? You can't be dead, not like me, not like them…"

Damn it all to hell, it was either the poison or the blood loss that was making him delirious. Grimacing at the rising heat around them, Pyrrha tore away what little cloth remained around the wound on Jaune's leg. She had to look at the wound, see if it was treatable with her limited knowledge of first aid.

It was not.

Even upon the barest of glances Pyrrha could tell straight away that Jaune was going to die _very_ quickly if he wasn't helped immediately. Real help with doctors and a hospital, not one girl with only basic medical training.

The wound itself was pus-ridden and disgusting, but the real problem was the colour of his veins - the distinct purple that was coming through from _under_ his skin. The wound was mortal, unless…

Miló was heavy upon her back.

No, she couldn't.

It was the only way. He would die otherwise.

But to… to cut…

He was going to die.

"Pyrrha…?" Jaune slurred, his hands weakly grabbing at her.

She had to.

With a grunt, Pyrrha tore her red sash free from her belt, the vibrant material warm in her hands. Without a moment's hesitation she jammed it into Jaune's mouth, the cloth rapidly moistening as she made sure he couldn't spit it out. "Listen to me, Jaune," She pleaded as small tears formed in her eyes, "I need you to bite down on this, whatever you do don't spit it out!"

With a slight sob, Pyrrha pulled her sword free from her back, gently placing the blade just below Jaune's right knee.

Then she began to _cut_.

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631

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 **A/N**

 **So it's been a while, and for that I'm dreadfully sorry. My situation has been rather… poor… lately. I cannot promise the consistent update schedule that I had in the past, but I shall, of course, do my best.**

 **I received a surprising reception to my fun little wasp story - because honestly, fuck wasps - but hey, let's add to the story. Did you all know that not only are wasp** _ **nests**_ **flammable, but so are the wasps themselves! Think about that in your place of rest: imagine being chased by** _ **flaming**_ **wasps.**

 **Reviews (to the last chapter, not the wasp thing):**

 **Shaded Azure:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Yeah, Tyrian is just crazy. His moods swing pretty wildly, and the arousal was just... another part of that.**

 **Guest:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Ironwood isn't a bad character as such, he just as different methods of achieving his goals - especially when compared to that of Ozpin or the like.**

 **Tobi14:**

 **Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Long answer to a long review - which I love you for.**

 **Nihilus' perception of Yang is rather impersonal - he only really 'knew' her while he was a student at Beacon. Him calling her trash is based upon her commonality - she isn't a thinker, nor is she particularly unique. Yang is common, she doesn't try to see things from different perspectives, thus to Nihilus she seems entirely** _ **narrow**_ **.**

 **Nihilus has an odd view on Blake - similar to how he sees Yang, but also different in the sense that Blake (his Blake) was motivated by an intense feeling of pity towards Nihilus. To be clear, Nihilus doesn't hate anyone in RWBY… he liked to mirror them. Blake made mistakes, many,** _ **many,**_ **mistakes. But for her Nihilus only pities.**

 **Nihilus was closest to Ruby - before and after his time in Beacon. Ruby's 'visits' (although it was never actually** _ **in person**_ **) weren't meant to be a cruelty on her part. For Ruby, it was a way to ease her guilty conscious. When Nihilus says that Weiss might be the one to kill her, that is a reference to the fact that Ruby made him kill her. Bear in mind that Ruby was his** _ **friend**_ **\- even in the end. Nihilus genuinely believed he was doing her a favour by killing her, and was sad to do so.**

 **Jaune/Nihilus kept trying, kept trying to do what he believed was right… and it drowned him. For every victory, he suffered two defeats. For every success, there was failure to match it. On pure technicality, Nihilus has done more to save the world than he's done to destroy it. However, one can only accept so much misery before it kills them.**

 **Technically he did 'create' that town, but not in the sense that he built the buildings or found the location. He just liked to use it as a… dumping ground. Even Nihilus has his limits…**

 **Realistically Nihilus has probably saved hundreds, probably thousands, of lives through his use of aura. For him (at that point in his life) it was never about the glory, it was about doing what he believed to be the right thing. He brought misery and death with his actions at Amity, but that was his atonement. Blake never knew that - but she knew** _ **him.**_

 **Thanks for the long review!**

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 **Again, terribly sorry for the delay. Leave a review!**


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